In the Land of the Sultan
by ByzantineComposition
Summary: A legendary general, an idealistic sultan, vile military commanders, barbaric bandits, distant travelers, a harem of girls and two budding romances caught up in the whirlwind. AU. NejiTen, ShikaTema
1. Just for Starters

**So I've just had this one sitting around for a little while now and I figured it was high time I spruced it up a bit and published it. It's kind of an obscure historical piece if you're not a history nerd like me, but a lot of passion went into this project so I hope you enjoy. Feedback, as always is welcome.**

Egypt, The White Desert 1798

"You know guys, I've been thinking," the searing afternoon heat beat down on a sandy sun bleached path in an obscure Egyptian backwater. The path was barely visible amongst the sand. Only the faint markings of wagon wheels or camel hooves identified areas where the wandering salesmen of the desert, coming from the distant oasis towns had continued their trek up towards the fertile deltas of the Nile.

"For heaven's sake Kiba…" a haggard voice grumbled, adjusting the edge of his broad rimmed straw hat. There were four figures in the party, three men and one dog, all seeming to be far out of their element. The figure with the hat, the shortest member of the band was dressed in white robes, lazily folded over each other. A bland grayish green coat was draped over his shoulder, the circular marking of the Nara clan just visible on the fading fabric. His figure was hunched over, eyes drained of all energy, a small stubble of hair on his chin completing the wandering vagabond look.

"Maybe, just maybe," The first figure replied, not waiting for the first one to finish. Kiba couldn't have looked any more different if he'd tried. In contrast to the billowing robes of his counterpart his outfit seemed to consist of nothing more than a suit of constricting black fabric, only widening around the collar and the arms. His untamed scruffy hair and face markings gave him the look of wildman, or just another traveling vagrant. Kiba's dog, a great big white beast of some obscure oriental breed whined beside him, as tired and as thirsty as any member of the party.

"Just shut up Kiba," the figure named Shikamaru retorted with disgust. Beside him, the final member of the party, Neji Hyuga raised an eyebrow at his comrade's comments. Neji was dressed more like Shikamaru, but his pale eyes and long silky black hair set him apart from his friend's unkempt drowsy look.

Neji was the only one who didn't look like a drifter, he was the tallest of the group, composed and steady in step. Of course, under the sun with no protection he felt as beat down as any of the group.

Neji wiped his brow remembering the day they'd all caught a Dutch vessel from Japan to the mainland. Each of them had decided to leave for one reason or another. Their reasons weren't important he decided. The past was of no significance, all that mattered was journey in front of them.

"Just maybe, I wasn't deluded when I suggested we stick to that Nile road. Maybe you all were the ones who had rice cakes for brains when they thought that we could trek through what is apparently a hundred miles of desert wasteland!"

"Kiba, we have no travel papers, no visas and not nearly enough money to pass through these Sunni checkpoints." Neji cut in brusquely after Shikamaru set his jaw, obviously not in the mood for any more conversation.

"So obviously escape into the desert when no one was looking was the next logical step…Sunni amongst the suna, hah, that's funny," Kiba laughed more to himself than to anyone else. The heat must've been getting to him as well.

"Its good to know that the government spent all that money improving education so delinquents like you could make half intelligible puns." Neji sighed scanning the horizon. A series of bare sand covered rolling hills with an occasional patch of shrubbery colored orange by a trick of the light stared back at him. It was barren country for miles around.

"Yeah well it was your family that paid…" Kiba paused realizing he might've touched on a sore subject. Shikamaru shot him a glare. Neji ignored the apparent faux pas and continued walking.

"I don't know why you insist on exerting the energy to argue with that idiot," Neji said with a world weary stoicism that only he could muster.

"Yeah, you're right. It's not like me, must be this damn sun." Shikamaru mumbled, pulling out a worn paper map he'd purchased from a balding salesman about a month ago. He looked it over, snorted in disgust and tried tossing it over his shoulder.

For now the road remained relatively flat, but if their journey had proved anything it was that the arid terrain could change with a minutes notice. Steep hills popped up in the most curious of places, then disappeared without notice. Around them formations had suddenly begun cropping up. Tall, rough walls of rock rose out of the ground on multiple sides, the peaks of the protrusions being colored with black volcanic stones from ancient times.

"Give me that…" Kiba demanded snatching the map out of mid air and trying to make heads or tails out of it. "Ei…Eiji…Eijiputo? Egypt? What kind of sense does that make…"

Neji and Kiba suddenly stopped dead in their tracks; taking another hard look at their surroundings. The area suddenly became deathly quiet. Shikamaru paused and turned towards the other two with a sullen scowl. Kiba sniffed the air as Akamaru began to growl. An empty wind blew across the tops of the cliffs sending a whistling sound through the air. Neji scanned the horizon again as he began to thumb the pearl white hilt of his sword.

"Tracks on the dunes ahead of us," he monotoned carefully, "Fresh ones."

"They're already here," Kiba growled, extending his arms. "I smell at least a dozen of them, on horseback."

"We're surrounded then?" Shikamaru asked with a disgruntled sigh, already knowing the answer full well.

Sensing their prey had stopped moving a collection of figures gradually began to emerge from behind the rock formations, riding up silently from behind the adjacent dunes and into full view. Each figure wore steel armor across their arms, they appeared draped in a collection of white and blue robes, all held together with a red sash tied across the waist with one final dull brown cloak draped over that. Dark eyes stared down at the group from beneath their pointed helmets, flanked by sheets of professionally constructed chain mail that covered both temples.

"To sneak up on us like this…not our proudest moment," Kiba chuckled eyeing the enemies steel tipped spears and scimitars. "Well Shikamaru? What's the plan?"

Shikamaru thumbed his sword like Neji and stared down the eyes of the armored warhorse in front of him. His eyes narrowed as the silent soldiers gripped their weapons tighter. The wind came to a halt as the stare down continued.

"I'm hot, I'm tired, I'm thirsty, and I'd rather be dead than listen to the rest of you work your jaws for the rest of the trip," Shikamaru finally snapped. He removed his katana from his belt and threw it to the ground. Kiba stared, his mouth agape. Neji just sighed, shrugged his shoulders and did the same. Akamaru whined again as Kiba snarled before removing his weapons, a pair of hand claws from his sleeves and tossing them down next to the others swords.

"This is such a drag."

* * *

Southern Wallachia, The Ottoman Empire 1798

Gaudy, was the only word that could be used to describe what the countryside looked like that night after the chieftains had finished decorating it. Large circus like tents had been set up on a hill that overlooked the burning husk of what had once been a peaceable peasants village.

Opulent crimson carpets had been spread out in six directions leading towards the main tent, itself clumsily inlaid with gold thread and expensive looking masks from the far reaches of the continent. Beyond the tent, ignoring the carpets stood groups of shabbily dressed soldiers, chewing on sunflower seeds and spitting the shells carelessly across the ground or herding their stolen livestock.

The entire thing seemed like a fantastic farce, a play at imperial grandeur; an attempt to inspire at least a modicum of awe of the bygone empires that had once held sway over the land. Inside the tent a plethora of Persian rugs were spread across the floor, one on top of another until the ground was no longer visible. The smell of smoke, sweat and wine wafted through the room, scantily clad dancing girls clung to the arms of the laughing men while solemn faced soldiers guarded the doors.

The chieftains themselves were even more hideously decorated than the tent, if that was possible. They all wore expensive looking silks, all in the most garish of colors. Their clothes were laden with precious gems, but they had been placed with no sense of tact or style. The clothes themselves were humorously large, almost exaggerated, either to contain all the stones or show off the colors. The end results could be seen in a chieftain proudly displaying his yellow sapphire covered purple turban three times the size of his own head.

Yet, at the moment fashion seemed to be the least of these men's worries. For men who like to pretend to be so very important any display of opulence is often enough. At the moment, all the important looking men were gathered around one girl. She wasn't dressed as scantily as the others women in the tent, her hair was tied up into two buns and she was carefully examining a firearm.

"And this one? Well come on now corporal girl be quick about it!" an arrogant voice barked. The man looked down disdainfully and twirled his long magnificent mustache. The girl narrowed her eyes, obviously in her element. She ran her hands over the barrel, tapped metal portions carefully and eyed the trigger suspiciously.

"This is an air rifle no doubt about it. Definetley Austrian in origin. Cast iron, takes a .46 caliber and judging by the quality of the welding as well as the design of the handle I'd say it's Girandoni made." She finally proclaimed proudly, as loud chattering suddenly broke out amongst the crowd. Cheers were heard as the men began clapping each other on the back.

The mustached man grabbed a silver goblet of wine and forced himself to step up onto a nearby table, no easy task as his rock stiff pants appeared to be made mostly of gold. As he awkwardly forced himself up he began shouting at the top of his voice.

"This is it gentlemen! Our gun runners were telling the truth. These weapons do indeed come from across the border of the Balkan province inside Austria itself! We have more than nominal support from those Hapsburg heathen nobles in our own revolution!"

"Then while the Sultan may have a won a siege our ultimate victory is assured!" the purple turban man proclaimed, raising his glass of wine into the air, and deciding it would be easier on his neck if he simply laid his head on a slave girls lap. More cheers were had as two other men began snapping their fingers, waving some of the girls over.

"My what a magnificent darling you've found yourself Mehmed!" an admiring chieftain spoke up approaching the woman who had examined the gun.

"Her eye for weaponry is simply spectacular!" a second agreed, stuffing plump grapes into his mouth at an alarmingly rapid pace.

"Yes, I do pride myself on this one. A charity case at first, found her in the slaving markets in East." Mehmed agreed, twirling his mustache again and nodding sagely. The woman's eyes looked like they were going to roll out of her head. Mehmed looked down at her with a condescending snarl.

"She does have certain special…oriental quality about her." The grape man commented, leaning in to get a better look at Mehmed's girl, juices dribbling down his chin.

"Oh! Nothing of the sort. She's positively plain, and her interests make her seem far to hermaphroditic in quality to make her of any interest to me." Mehmed laughed haughtily, the crowd broke into laughter as the wild revelry continued in the background. The woman, gritting her teeth finally spoke up.

"Unlock these chains then, we'll see how long the interests of any of your playthings last." Mehmed's face instantly went red as laughing broke out from any of the men within earshot.

"Oh well! Every slave has its drawback." The first admirer laughed, shaking his head.

"You should have beat that attitude out of her before she became set in her ways," the grape man agreed shrugging his shoulders and turning back to the food table. Mehmed violently tossed the glass into the woman's face as he had two guards help him down from the table. He towered over the sitting girl and did his best to look intimidating.

"Shut up, I did not think that I would have to remind you about not speaking out of turn. You disgrace me in front of my guests!" he yelled trying to save face, not minding the fact that most of the party was now indulged in other pleasures. He turned to a nervous looking man standing behind him. "Lee! Get her out of my sight!"

"Sir," the man with the bowl haircut acknowledged, bowing once and helping the girl gently to her feet before bolting for the nearest exit.

"You do place a good deal of faith in that bond servant of yours Mehmed, is it a eunuch?" the purple turban man asked from the floor.

"Oh ho, nothing of the sort." Mehmed replied airily, smugly satisfied with himself for regaining control of the situation. "If you had as much experience with Lee as I have you'd know there is little chance of him making a move on any member of my harem."

As soon as the pair was out of earshot of the tent Lee let go of the woman's arm. Immediately, a tirade of angry curses began spilling from her lips. Lee, reacting from experience moved to the side and gave her space.

"I'm going to kill him. I swear I'm going to kill him this time, I'm going to strangle him with these stupid scarves he makes me wear, shove him into the Black Sea and laugh as his stupid golden trousers pull him all the way to the bottom! Honestly, how dare he? I didn't ask for this! I didn't ask for any of this!" she stopped and gazed angrily out at the distance, past still smoldering village and towards the moon-illuminated hills.

"I do not think you are plain or hermaphroditic in quality Tenten," Lee spoke up energetically, trying his best to be helpful.

"Gee, thanks Lee," Tenten drawled back, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I am sorry Tenten, know that this is difficult for all of us." Lee said up, his voice still energetic as always.

"Hey its not your fault. Those morons are just broke Janissary officers turned bandits trying to play dress up anyways, what would they know?" Tenten huffed, setting herself down on the ground. She placed her head on her knees and sighed a defeated sigh. "Formerly the greatest empire this side of the Ganges, reduced to a hovel for bandits and corrupt viziers. And who do they drag all the way out here to fight their wars?"

"They drag us through enslavement!" Lee offered again, his voice still as preppy as the day she'd met him. Tenten gave him a dull, unimpressed look. Lee had always been terrible at reading the atmosphere, and as for rhetorical questions…well she wasn't even sure why she bothered.

"Just look at what we're doing out here." Tenten grumbled turning her eyes towards the glowing embers of the former village. Her eyes slowly worked their way over towards the distant guards casually patrolling the grounds. "We're getting out one day Lee, one day when their backs are turned we're getting out."

* * *

Alexandria, Egypt 1798

Even if they hadn't just emerged from the burned browned hills of the western deserts the bustling city of Alexandria would've still looked like a brazen explosion of color. Large green and white sycamore trees lined the paved sod roads towards the bazaar casting shadows on the veiled Armenian women doing noonday shopping, children and old men huddled in the shade chewing on fat burgundy colored dates. Greeks hustled from shop to shop under the yellowing awnings trading and moving their goods while peddlers shouted their wares from the street corners. A group of the cities Jewish community walked past an ancient looking Coptic Church, a glass blowing shop, and a magnificent marble white mosque before finally entering the synagogue for afternoon prayers.

It was quite a sight Neji decided, life for different peoples and cultures carrying on as it probably had for hundreds of years. It would have been even more poignant, he decided had not a spear been pointed towards his back for the duration of the trip.

The men on horseback shuffled them into a strange looking, large concrete building. They were quickly escorted though the entrance, across a plaza and into jail cell. Words were exchanged and soon Shikamaru was removed and sent into a darkened room before a stern looking Egyptian official and an ever more violent looking female standing up against the far wall.

"Oh they picked the dead fish eyed lazy ass huh?" The blonde haired woman drawled. He eyes narrowed, shooting daggers at the tired looking prisoner in the chair in front of her.

"Yeah, it's a pain but I'm the only one that knows Arabic…" he said with a shrug, seeming to infuriate the blonde women even more. "So what am I gonna do?"

"Let's start from the start," the man cut in. "My name is Baki, I've got your names from you identification. No idea how to pronounce them, but we've got them. Now just where are you from?"

"China," Shikamaru answered without missing a beat, looking the man dead in his eyes.

"You're the strangest looking China folk I've ever seen," the woman huffed from the corner.

"Oh and that's Temari, she was with the Mamluk post when they picked you up," Baki grumbled disapprovingly as he began jotting down some notes in a big book of old parchment with a fancy looking fountain pen.

"It's a big country." Shikamaru replied with a shrug.

"Well you do have identification, why not apply for a visa?" Baki asked quickly, making sure he had eye contact with the man on the stool.

"We are…persona non-grata in China." Shikamaru said after a pause, perfectly aware he was lying through his teeth. "We're work for hire."

"Mercenaries, oh that explains a lot." Temari practically bellowed. Shikamaru remained unmoved. His arms were crossed, eyebrows furrowed and lips pursued, clearly more annoyed than intimidated by the woman. His attitude seemed only to infuriate her ever further. With two large steps she was up in his face. "I'm calling you a coward you clown! We have enough guns for hire around here, and we certainly don't need anymore."

"You should let us go then," Shikamaru said flippantly. He would later swear that he'd seen veins bulge in her forehead.

"You know smartass, when that border post hauled you up here I was completely in favor of just chopping your heads off for being potential Persian spies."

"Then I'm truly a man with nothing to loose," Temari raised an arm, and for a second Shikamaru truly believed she was going to punch his face in.

"Enough Temari," the man said once more. Temari growled, but lowered her arm nonetheless without another word. "Please excuse her, of course you'll understand our suspicions. Nevertheless, I'd like to hear more of your profession. I may have work for you…"

* * *

"Think you'll ever go back?" Neji almost rolled his eyes at Kiba's comment, almost. He could blame his upbringing for his stoic or condescending attitude. Ceremony had been key in the Hyuga clan, and Hyuga's were always taught to hold themselves with poise. Of course to blame his upbringing would've been the easy way out, in truth he'd always hated small talk.

"We fled the country, we're ronin now. Just wanderers." He replied evenly as he continued to sit silently on the prison bench. Kiba scrunched his face at this as he continued to pet Akamaru who had fallen asleep as soon as he'd drained the water bowl provided to him. Neji was always impossible to read, he certainly seemed more driven that Shikamaru, but in a different sense he was just as ambivalent. Nothing was ever too bad, nothing was ever too good, food was never amazing, or disgusting, the weather was never too much one way or another. He never complained, but he never seemed to be going anywhere either. To him Neji was just coasting.

"Correction, you two are ronin, but that shouldn't matter. Don't you miss any of it? I mean I'm an Ainu of course, never got along with you ethnic Japanese, but that doesn't mean the place wasn't my home. It doesn't change the fact that I'd like to go back someday…"

Neji held up a hand as memories briefly flashed before his eyes.

"Kiba you know what happened to my family. There's nothing left for me there." He said simply, eyes and face betraying no emotion.

"Oh, ok so you're just alright with wandering around aimlessly with only your sword to your name."

"That's the general implication of the title ronin. If this is what fate has dictated for me…then so be it." Neji said. He sighed inwardly. That was true, he told himself bitterly. Life would throw what it would at you, it was just your job to make sure your were strong enough to face it, that's all there was to it.

"Get up losers, we've got a boat to catch." A Japanese voice said from outside the cell. Kiba looked up surprised as Akamaru jerked his head forward to the familiar sound.

"What?" he asked as the jailer unlocked the rusty iron cell door and slid it open with a creak.

"I got us a job. Oh yeah, we're Chinese now. Ahh man, it's going to be a pain keeping all of this straight." Shikamaru groaned rubbing the back of his head as he tossed the pair their weapons.

"Oh what, they arrest us and then they just ship us off to an unknown location?" Kiba asked with a raised eyebrow. Neji shrugged indifferently.

"You have a better idea then?" he asked, fully ready for this conversation to be over "This is it, we're wanderers remember?"

"You don't believe that, you don't believe that for a second." Kiba almost snapped.

"Shut up, I've had enough arguing for one day I really have," Shikamaru yawned tiredly for a second time as the group headed for the exit.


	2. Calm Before the Storm

**So just a few housekeeping notes, most of these names are going to be anglicized and somewhat modern. Sorry for any hardcore history fans out there, my American brain just wants to call the area "The Balkans" instead of "Rumelia" if that's what the area was even called. Now if I named these chapters based on how I felt about, this one would be something like "necessary evil", lots of arduous transitions, establishing character motivation and foreshadowing before we get to the real meat of the story. My apologies, unless you like this kind of stuff in which case...never mind. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.**

Alexandria, Egypt, 1798

"I see your stint in the army has done something for your manners. In the past that look on your face was usually accompanied by a lot of yelling." Baki removed a plain looking porcelain teapot from his fireplace and began pouring himself a large cup of black tea without sparing a glance over at the young woman. Years of experience had taught him to recognize signs of her displeasure. He continued his speech as he began to drop a generous number of sugar cane cubes into the glass. "You know this isn't quite the reunion I'd hoped to give you, but after spending six months down south I figured we could at least catch up over tea."

Temari turned her back towards Baki as she stepped towards the buildings balcony. Below her the two story government villas and the finely decorated seaside homes stood stalwartly against the evening summer sun. Baki's home was a generously sized villa with a spacious, sturdy balcony that overlooked the deep blue of the southern Mediterranean, a simply luxurious home for a former soldier turned director of the cities foreigners office. From that balcony one could take in the fresh sea air and observe Alexandria, queen of Egyptian cities in all her glory. Temari folded her arms and took a deep breath.

"What job did you give those foreigners from this morning?" she finally asked. Baki raised an eyebrow at her question as he set the teapot back on the table. "You remember, the ones led by that brat who looked like a narcoleptic camel? The reason I came back to Alexandria in the first place?"

"Infantry men in the foreign auxiliaries," Baki answered evenly bringing the cup to his mouth, eyebrow raised slightly.

"That's funny," Temari said, her tone giving Baki pause. The last time he remembered hearing that line was when she'd caught her brothers rummaging through her fan collection. It was incredibly direct, sharply accusatory and disturbingly somewhat tranquil, the calm before the inevitable whirlwind. "Because when I stopped by the governors mansion they said they had no record of any foreign enlistments. In fact Egyptian levies to the north have been tied up in Cairo for months now."

The room went nearly silent, the only noise being the cool breeze blowing in from the sea. Temari turned away from the balcony doorway, arms still crossed. Her thin eyebrows bent down, a cold scowl crossing her face as she waited expectantly.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Baki set his tea down and stood up. Temari unconsciously reached for a weapon. She'd almost forgotten that cold look in Baki's eyes, the eyes of a trained soldier. Still ,there was something uneasy in his gaze, somehow he looked almost hesitant. Baki approached, his feet making soft pats on the meticulously tiled floor. Temari felt a shiver run up her spine as Baki moved past and motioned for her to follow him back onto the balcony.

"Baki, if you didn't send those troops to fight with the empire it means they're up there to fight against the empire," Temari's voice sounded hoarse, strained, as if she didn't want to believe a word of what she was saying. "Please tell me you're not involved with the Balkan rebellion."

Baki stepped up to the railing and looked out over the city. If one were to lean off just a bit further, and crane their neck as far to the left as possible they'd see the rows of ancient colonnades and palm trees line the cities bustling boulevards; all converging on the monolithic pillar of a dead Roman emperor. Following the roads out to sea, where the harbors now stood were the shells of the old not quite forgotten Egyptian palaces. Where sumptuous Cleopatra seduced Ceasar and Antony. On the edge of the city was a naval citadel, a fortress built where Alexander's lighthouse would've been, a reminder of the olden times.

"We both know that citadel hasn't been used in ages, its obsolete. The biggest threats to a nation don't come from the sea. They come from inside the nation itself where men looking back on the centuries can be stirred onto action by pride, not pointless bureaucracy. Men like your father." Baki's hands clutched the railing as he stared out across the rolling waves of the Mediterranean.

"Then its true," Temari said gritting her teeth, the sound of metal sliding against metal interrupted the breezes docile tone. Her hands were almost shaking now. She looked positively livid. "Riding with all those rich brats I heard that kind of talk a lot…I just never thought you would be one of them! And after all this time…I can't believe I looked up to you."

"Temari, let me explain…" Baki began, turning around before his former ward could unsheathe her weapon.

"This is treason Baki, high treason," Temari replied narrowly, eyes aflame now.

Baki continued to stand with the wind at his back, staring down the woman he'd helped raise. His voice became softer, almost apologetic. "Temari listen, if we could do this peaceably we would, but you have to understand there are larger forces at work here."

Her eyes didn't change, if anything they narrowed even further.

"You risk open war, putting everyone's lives here at risk. You're no better than those barbarian raiders trying to declare their independence up north."

"The Sultan in Constantinople will lead us all to ruin. If Egypt rises up they'll have to split their army between us and the Balkans…"

"You still talk down to me like I'm some kind of child! We've been down this path before, or don't you remember?" She was furious now. Her weapon, at first glance a deceptively simple piece of Damascus steel, four feet long had come completely unsheathed. Baki's feet unconsciously shifted across the balconies floor, getting him ready to move should the worst come to pass. "Ten years ago my father was involved in this same plot to "create a new Egypt". Do you remember that Baki?"

Oh how he'd tried to forget. The man almost visibly grimaced at the memory. It had started with an arrogant emir, international politics, followed by a few years of jubilant conquest, and then…defeat, destruction and blood. But that had been a lifetime ago, he looked back at Temari, yes, her lifetime.

"We're not going down that path again! No more revolts, no more petty sheiks, no more power grabbing, and no more young girls are going to have to watch their fathers get beaten bloody and led off in chains never to be seen again." The last word was punctuated by the sound of steel crashing onto the floor. The decorative red and white Cyprian tiles splintered and cracked at the blow.

At last it seemed that neither one of them had anything more to say. For the first time Baki looked totally unsure of himself, perhaps even a little ashamed. Temari kept her eyes fixed on the man. Her finger still twitched as if she expected a fight at any moment, but otherwise she seemed strangely calm. She really had grown up, Baki decided. The sound of a Turkic vendor arguing with a customer over spare change drifted ever so faintly into the room from the streets outside. Finally Baki broke the silence.

"Temari…Nobody could've known that uprising would've ended the way it did, and I can't tell you how sorry I am for what happened to your father, but circumstance demanded he rebel Temari. Listen you are an idealist, that's very admirable, but things can't always go the way we want them to. There are some realities, some chosen paths…"

"Chosen paths? Oh that's a laugh, coming from the man who forbid me from heading out to the Russian border garrison with my brothers. You know, like I always said I wanted to do." And just like that Temari was back to her normal caustic self. She pulled her weapon from the ground with one hand, slid it back into its sheath and buttoned it closed. "Instead you stuck me in the most predictable post in the entire empire. Egypt, southwest Egypt, the White Desert of all places, where not even the Bedouin bother raiding anymore."

"Temari…it's…your brothers didn't choose. They were called up because your families male lineage…" Baki struggled to explain as a stray dog barked in the distance. He sounded more and more hesitant now.

"Its not the system Baki. The "life" didn't take Gaara and Kankuro, they chose to go." Temari cut in unceremoniously, adjusting the straps that held her weapon in place and heading for the door. "And now I think its time for me to go as well. I'm a soldier and I have my responsibilities. I'd suggest getting out of this plot while you still can."

"You follow your conscience and I'll follow mine." Baki finished quietly, attempting to sound at least a little bit sage like. Temari made face of mild revulsion, like someone was trying to serve her fish guts for lunch.

"Leave the pithy sayings to the Hadiths. I'm heading north to clean up the mess you made. Don't make me come back down here old man."

"And what about your posting? The one I worked so hard to get you?" Baki asked in a tone that made it difficult to discern whether or not he was joking.

She just snorted in reply, "I'll let you clean that one up." And with that she was gone. Despite everything, Baki chuckled to himself as he strolled back to his lukewarm tea.

"She really is your daughter Rasa,"

* * *

Northern Kyushu, Japan 1795

"L-like this?" Neji watched his cousin in silent amusement as she attempted to heft the heavy practice sword, ending up looking more like sumo wrestler than a sword fighter.

"It's a start. Straighten your back out a bit more lady Hinata." Neji directed, his voice echoing up to the second story of the enclosed compound. Around them the servants focused on tending the flowers and bonsai trees or polishing the fine magnolia deck that surrounded the normally pristine earthen arena. An arena that was now covered with sandals markings, evidence of Hinata's wild footwork. A couple relatives watched from the sidelines, enjoying the young heiresses performance.

"But Naruto said…" Hinata began trying her best to stand straight.

"I know what Naruto said, and if the blonde idiot tries to enter the Hyuga complex again I'm cutting his feet off," Neji stated matter-of-factly. Hinata just looked at him, her eyes bright, round and deer like when suddenly she smiled.

"I didn't know you told jokes Neji." Her cousin's exasperated look went unnoticed. She was just too kindhearted for her own good, Neji decided.

Suddenly the sound of wood splintering on the upper deck echoed through the compound. A body crashed backwards through he white railing and dropped to the ground.

The coming events were a blur. Hinata was whisked away by the family guards whilst Neji and his clansmen drew their swords just in time to defend themselves from the black cloaked figures that had come bursting in, knocking the sliding door clean off its track. Silently, Neji struck up a defensive position as he watched his opponent close in on him, preparing for that first, all-important strike.

* * *

The Dalmatian Coast, The Ottoman Empire, 1798

The first time he'd had that dream was back off the coast of Japan in the hull of a Dutch caravel paid to take him from the island. His head had shot up, drenched in sweat as he looked around wildly only to find no complex and no clan; just the slow rocking of the boat and two snoring humans draped over a sack of Chinese barely.

Nowadays the dream had become so frequent that he thought little of it. Even inside the dream all his actions had become so familiar he could simply go through the motions.

Neji Hyuga opened his eyes slowly to find himself in the same place he'd gone to sleep, on the deck of the ship, smelling the sea breeze as the boat continued to bob hypnotically in the water; the strong Lebanon cedar planks that made up the floor creaking with every motion. They were in the same place they were when he'd gone to sleep, anchored behind an island inlet. The half moon hung in the sky, as it had for the past three days the modest Egyptian ship had been anchored in these waters, waiting for the perfect time to dodge the patrols of the Ottoman navy.

Even in the dark the Mediterranean still looked striking. The waters were darker and colder than they had been in down south, being. Yet, the sea lost none of its grandeur as it crashed up against the mountainous and craggy shores of the coast. It was almost like the waters that lapped against the rocks far below the Hyuga castle back home Neji finally decided…almost.

Neji's ears twitched as he heard the quiet but still plainly audible buzz of foreign words from one of his neighbors nearby. Even in the moonlight his brown boots and frilly blue frockcoat made him stand out from the rest of the sullen and shabby crowd; perhaps even more than his incessant prattle did.

"Is he still talking?" Neji asked, the annoyance clear in his voice.

"Heh, yeah these foreigners can sure be chatty." Kiba chuckled before yawning again. Neji just grunted and closed his eyes again while Kiba yawned, leaned back up against Akamaru and did the same. "I'm glad I don't speak the language."

"Mercenary work," Neji mumbled to himself. This wasn't the first time they'd accepted this kind of work, and it wasn't like he or Kiba had objected when Shikamaru had told them he'd found work. Still, was this it? Was this life now?

"So's it turns out, they don't even speak Arabic down in Turkey. 'Urns out them bloody Turks speak Turkish," Shikamaru's finely dressed neighbor continued in a thick accent as he obsessively polished his gun; an older piece which, as he'd already told anyone who would listen had belonged to his great-grandfather in the "war with the Spanish papists".

"How annoying," Shikamaru grumbled, rolling onto his side in an effort to drop the man what he knew would be an ultimately futile hint. The rest of the men on the boat within earshot, figures of all different sizes and complexions, not one outfit matching the next seemed to be equally annoyed. Yet, despite the man's chatter there was a palpable tension in the air, and it seemed as if no one felt like shutting him up.

"I know aight? Ahts what I said. Anyway, was quite a shock getting all the way out ere' from London only to find I don't speak the language. What mum would say if she saw me now eh? Not that I just up and left mind you. Got four brothers at ome'. They's can take care of her well and good they's can. Not that I'm not a hard worker you see, I'm no Jacobin, or heavin forbid a Methodist mind you, is just, I'm meant for greater things ya know? That's why I signed up when Mr…"

Shikamaru slowly inched away, swearing silently to himself that he'd never pick up another phrase book in his life ever again. As he did there was a sudden rattling on the side of the boat, the sound of the wrought iron anchor being hoisted from the water. Kiba pulled himself up from the floor of the deck and cast a look over the side while Neji turned his eyes towards a new figure emerging from the direction of the foremast.

"Alright, alright everyone up! That's right, get up you dullards! Now listen here! We've only got a few minutes, and I'm only going to say this once," the new figure shouted. His stout figure and demanding voice grabbed the attention of most of the men, as he repeated the sentence in several languages, each time sounding crisp and fluent as the boat approached the shore. "You were all hired for the same purpose, to bolster the army of, Pasvanoglu Osman the governor of Vidin in his glorious bid for independence."

The last line elicited more than a few eye rolls, silent snickers and just a few overly sarcastic cheers from the more experienced passengers. The crew began milling around the deck handing out pieces of paper as more mercenaries emerged from the hold.

"Currently, the governor's capital in Vidin is under siege. If you can make it to a fortress outpost east of the city and group up with a relief force you can consider yourself hired." The ship officer stated officially.

"All the way in Vidin? With no supplies and behind enemy lines?" someone asked incredulously in clipped Arabic. Shikamaru nodded at Kiba and Neji as they began collecting their things.

"You're mercenaries, not a professional army o mister soldier of fortune. Wealth and fame await you if you can reach Vidin, but if you can't…then I'm not sure you deserve to be there." It was the ship crew's turn to chuckle and sneer at their passengers. "Oh and one more thing, you'll notice the single rowboat…"

The officer was cut off by the sudden splash of multiple bodies leaping into the water. Men ran to the sides to view the three human figures and the dog that had just jumped twenty feet into the water. Kiba howled with laughter as the group made for shore under the pale moonlight. Other experienced unmentionables, bounty hunters and guns for hire soon followed them in, leaving those unacquainted with such practices scrambling to find their things.

"Every time. Ferry us to shore, is that so hard?" Shikamaru grumbled, kicking with his feet and trying his best to keep his clan jacket where he'd bundled all his valuables above water. Neji, having even fewer possessions, had tied his small cloth bag to the end of the sword. Kiba had just placed his things on Akamaru's head, laughing as he backstroked all the way to shore.

"Ah the mercenary life!" Kiba sighed contentedly, climbing up onto the large rocks that dotted the shore line and wringing his clothes, ignoring Akamaru trying to violently shake himself dry. "Sleeping on the ground and eating half cooked meat. I have so missed this."

"Unbelievable," Neji sighed, following him up and setting his things down.

"Oh lighten up man. This is nothing new. We'll just wing it like we did back in Deccan, except now we should probably try to avoid having our asses handed to us…and theirs no exotic foreign guide this time." Kiba laughed wiping his nose off and taking a deep breath of sea air.

"We do what we do only because it is preordained for us to do so." Neji intoned soullessly, attempting to dry his hair as his eyes took in every square inch of woodland.

"In time, everything comes to you," Shikamaru agreed finally climbing up beside the two and, laying the bare bones map down in front of him.

"Oh come on, why wait for things to come to you, when you can go and grab it for yourself?" Kiba continued jumping from rock to rock, heading for the woodland as Akamaru joined him in sniffing their surroundings. "Like that blonde number back in…what was it, Arekusandoria?"

"Alexandria?"

"Yeah, that one, she seemed seriously into you," Kiba grinned as he and Akamaru started following scents from the forest.

"Seriously into trying to rearrange my face," Shikamaru droned as he started planning possible travel routes in his mind. "Not sorry about leaving that city behind."

"What? It's like you don't trust yourself around beautiful women or something," Kiba asked with mock surprise, laughing at his own joke.

"No man should trust himself around beautiful women," Neji stated, arms crossed and examining the tree tops.

"Geez, whatever happened to your guys' sense of adventure?"

"It jumped off the boat back there with my patience and sense humor," Shikamaru retorted, a small smile appearing on his face despite everything. The map was a simple piece of parchment, a rough sketch of the empire, no landmarks, no borders, no topography, just two dots showing the landing site and Vidin. "What have you got guys? This maps fairly worthless."

"Smoke…from cooking fires. This mountain range in front of us is definitely inhabited. Probably hunting lodges." Neji observed, still watching the horizon.

"Lots of big game in there," Kiba agreed. "If we just cut right through I don't think we'd be going hungry."

"Alright then," Shikamaru said collecting his things and getting to his feet. He shook the sleeves of his outfit in an attempt to dry them off, yawned and stretched his arms before jumping from the rocks and towards the forest. "We've got a long journey ahead of us. Let's get to work."


	3. New Acquaintances

**No real announcements this time around. Maybe it's the joy of finally getting two groups of characters together or getting to write so much dialogue, but I really like this chapter. Of course I'd love to hear your opinions as I know I still have quite a few shortcomings as a writer. Anywho, we can now really start getting down to the shipping , which of course is what so many of us have been waiting for. Please enjoy!  
**

Northern Bulgaria, The Ottoman Empire 1798

"What do you mean we weren't the first ones here?" Late May in Vidin and the surrounding countryside was, as the group discovered as soon as they'd descended from the mountainous highlands, incredibly wet and humid. Thunderstorms had dogged the group throughout their travels, soaking their campsites and mucking their paths so that by the time they arrived at the clearing made by Pasvanoglu Osman's relief force they were grumpy, tired, soaked in sweat and caked in mud.

"Kiba, calm down," Shikamaru groaned, rubbing his eyes. The mid morning fogs and warm, humid air had only served to make him even more lethargic than usual. Kiba on the other hand only seemed to become even more erratic with the changes in weather.

"Six days! It took us only six days to get to your little dump from the coast!" Kiba hollered, shouting in the face of a now completely terrified petty officer. Akamaru, growled in agreement his coat stained an ugly chocolate brown from almost a week of racing through mud.

"It's not a damn race," Neji muttered, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair which was somehow untouched by the ravages of the elements.

"I killed a bear with my own two hands for food!" Kiba cried at the top of his lungs, drawing looks from nearby soldiers. The myriad troops traded looks, unsure of whether or not they should intervene. "Who did it? Who's the son of a geisha that beat us to the…"

"Kiba, for the last time I'm pretty sure he doesn't understand Japanese," Shikamaru drawled, thoroughly fed up with his friends antics. Kiba just threw his hands up and swore in what the other two assumed was a native Ainu language as he stormed off, stomping through the mud.

Vidin was an ancient Bulgarian town sitting on the banks of the mighty Danube river, founded originally as a humble Roman fortress, the last remains of which had long since disappeared, been built over or leveled by the passing Empires. No less ancient than the city itself were the primeval forests that lay beyond its walls. What was not ancient was the pedestrian military campsite the rebel forces had set up inside said primeval forest. The ancient conifers had been reduced to defensive palisades, animal pens, and stilts for the campsites of the richest officers.

"This probably is a breeding ground for cholera." Neji muttered looking at his wet and dirty sandals with disgust. His eyes scanned the area. Soldiers unlike the ones he'd seen back in Egypt milled around aimlessly, trying to keep out of the watery mush, chatting with each other and popping chestnuts into their mouths. More official looking military men road horses across the length and breadth of the camp practicing their riding. Sweat creped out from underneath their high, conical white and blue hats, dripping onto their decorative cotton shirts and mud splattered beneath the horse's hooves. In the distance on a high hill in the middle of camp, two well-dressed men popped the cork on a bottle of wine and toasted each other. All around them wagons and carriages varying in style from traditional Oriental to dark daring European designs rolled past, carrying everything from men to supplies. In the distance at the edge of the forest two red foxes darted out of his view, and from the corner of his eye Neji spied a sandy red haired man walking towards the group flanked by two silent figures.

"Kiba, knock it off!" Neji commanded, giving the wild man a heavy glare. Kiba paused and began dragging his feet back towards the group. The man nodded coolly in greeting, as he approached.

"You three are right on time," he remarked, his face calm, voice sedated. "That is, if you are part of the Egyptian requisition that left from Alexandria a nine days ago."

"We are," Shikamaru returned with a nod, flanked by Neji and Kiba. "Although I wasn't under the impression that we were being timed."

"You obviously hurried," the man answered, blankly eyeing their muddied sandals and robes "and I do appreciate promptness. My name is Sasori. I direct the mercenaries."

* * *

"I hate these exercises," Tenten hissed angrily jumping from her horse and pulling the helmet from her head. It was a pointed silver dome with, what was bafflingly a ring of brown beaver fur. "Does he not understand that it's sweltering and that everything sticks to your skin in this climate?"

"You get used to it," Lee offered, shaking the mud from his leggings.

"Yeah, well try wearing a jumpsuit made out of fur and then tell me how that goes. I feel like a Mongol in this outfit." Tenten grunted, before slinging the rest of her costume off. A decorate cape as thick as a rug, also lined around the collar with fur, medieval looking chainmail and knee high brown boots fell to the ground. Tenten took a deep breath as the pair sat down in front of their small white tent, as other heavily dressed females passed them.

"Everyone in the tents! I don't want you all to be out and around where all those grubby uncultured mercenaries can get their hands on you." The richly dressed Mehmed shouted heading towards his red circus big top safely lifted above the mud by a small handmade deck. Lee and Tenten barely paid him any attention, instead surveying the crowd.

"It seems like everyone is gathering. We have only been here for twelve hours and already the size of this force has doubled. A counter attack must be in preparation." Lee puzzled eyeing a pair of Persian riflemen on horseback.

"Yeah, look at this crowd." Tenten agreed as her keen eyes began scrutinizing armor and weaponry. "I see Albanian irregulars, those have got to be Janissaries from the Bosnia…just look at their guns. They look like they're from the War of the Spanish Succession."

"The War of Spanish Succession?" Lee blinked.

"You know, the one where the one king argued with the other kings about the one guy who everyone said should've been the other guy," Tenten replied waving her hand airily, still looking around the camp.

"Oh yes…of course…um, what about that group over there? The ones coming out of Sasori's tent." Lee nodded, attempting to change the subject. He and Tenten both paused, analyzing the newcomers carefully.

"No clue, they're mercenaries…but not from around here. I can tell you that much." Tenten muttered. "Despite their looks they just don't seem to have the aura of your typical wandering guns for hire."

"Yes…" Lee said pretending to agree. He pointed towards Neji. "That long haired one for instance. His features are…delicate. Perhaps he is a man of some importance?"

Tenten waved a finger and shook her head before she really started eyeballing the tall figure. She smiled, taking in the sight of his milk white eyes and hair kept like a fine silken carpet. "First rule of this business Lee. Never trust the pretty ones."

* * *

"Not exactly the small fortune we were hoping for," Kiba sighed pushing the small handful of coins, Ottoman kurus around on his palm before sliding them into the pockets of his suit.

"I know it's not much, but you can inform your comrades that since you were the second group of mercenaries to arrive from the 9th Egyptian requisition you will have your pick of positions when the time comes as well as looting rites for every assault you volunteer for." Sasori explained mechanically turning towards Shikamaru. "If you stick with the outfit you'll find yourselves with plenty of opportunities to enrich yourselves."

"Hey Neji," Kiba growled sniffing the air suddenly as Shikamaru and Sasori continued to converse.

"We're being watched. I sense it to," Neji acknowledged. "Two from the tents near the high topped red one, from the cavalry grounds, and the sentries position to our far right."

"I think we're getting popular a little to fast. They lookin' for a fight?" Kiba grumbled looking around, finally seeing the figures that Neji had spied out of the corner of his eye.

"Let's play it safe," Neji advised, covertly nudging Shikamaru and nodding in the three directions.

Shikamaru and Sasori engaged in another round of dialogue before, with a curt nod Sasori walked off to orient other recently arrived mercenaries. Shikamaru couldn't help but think that he was relieved to see the man leave. There was just something about the way he carried himself, he seemed to be as amoral as he was emotionless.

"Shikamaru," Neji said nudging the man again. The lazy brown pupils snapped to attention.

"Right, right. Let's see," Shikamaru began trying to think of how best to translate everything Sasori had told him.

" _The ones of horseback? Janissary underlings. Those sentries are little better than enlisted thugs. And as for the pretty ones over there? Those are the slaves of the Kircali. Former janissaries who deserted and now spend their time raiding border settlements. Please do me a favor and do not interact with their ilk. In fact I would ask you to avoid all physical confrontations. You have no official ranking in this outfit so any problems that you cause fall to me to arbitrate, and that is annoying."_

"Nomadic bandits huh?" Kiba growled. "Why would we ever purposefully go over there?"

"They're female," Neji responded, still eyeing the camp curiously. "Every one of those figures in the strange outfits is a girl."

"Wait? Women? All of them? But that one on the right looks like a Manchu horseman." Kiba blurted excitedly. "That does explain the smell like perfume and beaver pellets. I think I'm gonna retch."

"Not the one in green, but all the others…yeah," Neji closed his eyes with a sigh.

"Because it wouldn't be a war without just a touch of freakish theatre!" Kiba exclaimed with an overly dramatic flourish of his hands. "C'mon, lets not attract any more attention that we already have."

"For once we agree," Shikamaru nodded looking around for the best exit route amongst the endless tents and wagons.

"To late," Neji muttered as three burly figures lumbered through the crowd, their eyes dead set of the opposing trio.

By this time the sun was overhead, the once busy organizing grounds had somehow become even more lively. Tent flaps and wagon doors continued to fly open even as the heavy humidity hung in the air. Much of the water in the soggy dirt had evaporated leaving the smell of drying mud to fill the area. No one wished to venture outside, yet the day to day operation of the camp refused to slow down and cooks, servants and baggage handlers bustled from wagon to wagon. Aside from the sentries lazily sitting in the shade of the forests the heat seemed to be putting everyone in a particularly bad mood.

"So I heard you three runts scored yourselves looting rights," the surly middleman of the opposing trio hissed, enormous arms extending from his large barrel like torso.

"Damn it, this always happens," Kiba fussed, running a hand through his untamed black hair before starting to stretch his arms.

"We're from the 4th Tunisian troop requisition, we were a bit slow," the man continued, motioning to the two other equally massive swarthy companions. Vicious grins appeared beneath their full beards on their faces ruddy complexions.

"So…do you guys like, wanna take this guy or shall I?" Kiba asked as Akamaru walked to his side and joined in the stretching. Neji leaned up against a nearby wagon with fading green letters that spelled "produce" in Greek and shrugged noncommittally.

"Of course that hardly seems fair, I mean look at our size, we're not built for speed, but then you don't look like you'd be much use in a fight. What do ya say we duke it out?" The man smashed one titanic fist into his equally enormous palm and chuckled a low gravely chuckle.

"Knock yourself out. Maybe if we're lucky you'll both knock each other out." Shikamaru yawned, joining Neji in the shade of the old produce wagon.

"This is bad," Lee said quickly noticing the confrontation. Without a moments hesitation he bolted forward at a staggeringly fast pace.

"Hey! Careful Lee!" Tenten shouted after watching the lighting green blur disappear from her side. With a groan she followed his example and without a second thought dashed for the scene.

Kiba and his opponent stood still, absolutely still, locked in their attack positions as their brains played catch up to what their eyes had just witnessed and what their muscles were now experiencing. The large man had begun to swing one of his massive fists while Kiba had ducked the blow and aimed a kick straight for the man's prodigious gut. Now Rock Lee stood between the two, his two hands holding back a massive fist and pointed foot respectively.

"It may be above my station to say this but…we really should be conserving our energy for the battles to come," Lee began.

"What in the," Kiba blinked and pulled back, bewildered at the speed with which the new stranger had moved. His antagonist however, seemed to barely take this into consideration as he raised his fist again.

"Little pu…" that's as far as he got. A half second later the giant of a man was lying flat on his back, his head making a perfect imprint four inches deep on the still slightly damp ground. The mans other two companions looked at their friend, then at Lee as he brought his foot down, before promptly scurrying off without so much as an apology.

Shikamaru and Neji had taken a second longer to react. Shikamaru had instinctively switched into a combat position, shooting up from the ground his hand on his sword. Neji had taken a similar stance, ready to step forward when suddenly…

"Hiya," the trio's heads spun around to see Tenten sitting atop the wagon with a merry grin on her face. Neji blinked, Lee's appearance must've really thrown him off if she was able to get into her position without anyone noticing.

"Kircali," Shikamaru managed, his mind racing.

"Close, we're Kircali bondsmen, my names Tenten and you've already met Rock Lee." Shikamaru blinked again, noticing the clipped tone of their Arabic, the duos features and distinct hairstyles.

"You're not from around here are you?" Neji surmised, taking the words out of Shikamaru's mouth. He spoke up in Chinese, a second language he'd learned growing up in the Hyuga clan. The duo blinked at the sound of the new foreign tongue, briefly trading looks when Tenten suddenly smiled down at him.

"You think pretty quick on your feet don't you? Where're you from?"

"Northern China. And yo…" Neji replied without a second thought.

"Yeah, no." Tenten interjected almost immediately with a smug grin. She motioned to herself and Lee. "We're from China, and don't get me wrong your Chinese is passable, but you two definitely aren't Han or even Machu Chinese. So where are you really from? Korea? Da Viet?"

It had been awhile since someone other than Shikamaru had started running mental circles around him like this. The girl had spunk, he'd give her that. Neji gave his own slight smug smile in response. Tenten let her eyes wander across the mans striking features and towards his patterned wooden sword scabbard.

"Nice design…could you be…?"

"Question! Why the crazy costumes?" Kiba suddenly yelled, raising his hand like he was back in his old monastic school. Lee's face turned red as he looked away.

"Because I'm pretty sure the old coot gets off on it …" Tenten let the sentence trail off, the pluck gone out of her voice, replaced by disgust.

Around them the entire camp began to stir. Servants ducked off the paths as soldiers began running every which way, up and down the disorganized rows. Officer's barked orders while in the distance the sentries picked themselves up trying to get a view of what was going on in the camp. Beside the wagon a young girl in a golden breastplate and wearing what looked suspiciously like a hoplites helmet complete with an enormous red plume ran by.

"Hey Khochen!" Tenten yelled as the girl paused. "What's going on?"

"The armies mobilizing for some reason." She replied with a shrug, turning and running back towards the large red tent before yelling, "You guys better get back, if Mehmed sees anyone from his harem missing he's going to have all our heads."

"Come on Tenten," Lee called, bowing before the trio and following the girl.

"You two probably want to get moving as well. I've only known Sasori for half a day, but he seems like the person you definitely don't want to keep waiting." Tenten said with a sigh as she watched the army scramble desperately. Suddenly she perked up again and flashed another smile. "See ya!"

With that she was gone, lost in the sea of hats and decorative uniforms. Neji watched her as long as he could before losing all trace of her brown hair.

"Hey!" It was Shikamaru's turn to snap Neji back to reality. "Get with it."

"Listen up all of you," Sasori's voice broke through the chaos as he spared the group a quick glance. More and more mercenaries gathered around him as he strolled purposefully through the disorganization. "Vidin is falling, we're heading in to reinforce, find your assigned commander, if you don't have one yet follow me."

"Right," Kiba sighed, as he and the other readjusted their outfits. "Time to get to work."

* * *

Thessaloniki, The Ottoman Empire, 1798

Temari tapped her foot on the magnificent marble floors of the reception hall; she muttered an obscenity under her breath looking up at the intricate Swiss clock that hung at the Porte to the local governors office. Beside her a gaggle of older robed officials eyed her curiously, while they chatted with each other in hushed tones, talking politics and current events.

"Selim's trying to put this revolt down as quickly as possible. Austria's mobilizing once again."

"Well they'd be insane not to, with him on the move. I doubt Austria is planning on moving east, they want us here to scare Russia off."

Temari perked up her ears at the chance of possible news of the Russian front, where her brothers were stationed. Her foot tapping continued rhythmically.

"He's taken Malta you know."

"Yes, but on whose orders? Whose is really pulling the strings? The French Directory or that man?"

"Either way the Sultans admiration of the French is misplaced, he'll lead us to ruin. As long as that man is around that country is a time bomb."

The tapping started getting faster at hearing the same phrase Baki had spoken to her a few days earlier.

"Who?"

"You remember. The hero of the Italian campaign, the terror of Austria."

"He's only 29 too, he'll be a monster in a few years."

"Napoleon Bonaparte."

"Then Selim needs to put down these rebellions if we are to effectively react to the unfolding events in Europe. Rebels are threatening to pop up all over the empire."

Silence suddenly fell on the group as Temari jammed her weapon through the bench beside her, face fraught with frustration. Something about her angry visage suggested to the old officials that they should really stop talking.

"Here you are madam," a servant boy said quite suddenly bowing before her and extending his arms, two neatly pressed envelopes in his hands. "His excellency Governor Yusuf extends his most sincere apologies for making the esteemed daughter of the famed Mamluk Rasa the Sand Shadow wait. You are cleared to travel in this territory. We pray for your safe trip to Vidin."

"About time," Temari snapped, yanking the envelopes from the boys hand and strutting off towards the door. "I've had enough of the ramblings of old men."


	4. The Siege of Vidin

**So this took a bit longer than I anticipated, I apologize, life can do this thing where it suddenly dumps everything on you all at once. Anyway, there's not much else to say, I did cut out a ton from this chapter even though this is the longest one yet. I also want to thank everyone who reviewed or gave feedback, I was worried at the start that this kind of historical AU might just be a little to strange so I'm glad you all are enjoying it. Now, here is the chapter, I hope you enjoy!**

Vidin, North Bulgaria, 1798

"An empire centuries old, guardian to the shrines of the religions founded by the sons of Abraham who's military might forced all to bow before their power. Our army now stands before Vidin, awaiting its fall… so why do I feel like this is the beginning of its end?...Tea?"

Grand Admiral Huseyin had a calm and sensible demeanor for one of such high rank, and for one of such terrifying stature. He was melancholic man with an oval olive colored face hidden behind a magnificent bushy brown beard. His colossal figure, draped in a blue naval uniform sat serenely on a plain wooden stool, mixing milk and sugar with his chamomile tea as all thirty six guns on his massive Ottoman frigate blasted shell and shot at the caving Vidin shoreline filling the air with the smell of powder.

Though far away from the seas the ancient city of Vidin was fed by the mighty Danube River, the freezing natural torrent of water that snaked its way through Eastern Europe before emptying itself into the Black Sea. Long ago it had the distinction of being the medieval dividing line between the empires of Rome and Bulgaria, before both were overrun by the Ottoman tide.

"Oh, um, no thank you Admiral," Temari replied politely, turning down the fine china cup the admiral had offered her, hoping she hadn't offended him. Huseyin for his part simply shrugged and lifted his own cup to his lips.

"I forgot, you Egyptians probably prefer that black stuff. I guess this wouldn't be strong enough for your pallet anyways," he took a small sip and let out a disappointed sigh as another round of shells soared over the shimmering water and through the smoky air. "Our empire reached its peak because of the power of your borderland governors and the elite janissary corps, but they became to powerful. The two things that built this empire are the same things that will destroy it, and we threaten to come apart at our seems."

"So we put the rebellion down. That's our job," Temari responded straightly looking out across the walls of Vidin. Huseyin nodded without sparing her a glance as he reached for a soft Dutch cookie.

"I admire your conviction young one, if our janissaries had half your integrity we wouldn't be in this situation." He started blankly at the horizon as field howitzers shouted in the distance across the river. "Won't be long now."

"How long do you think it will be before the walls are breached?" Temari questioned. "If anyone has information on the mercenaries coming into the empire its going to be someone in Pasvanoglu Osman's employ."

Huseyin didn't answer immediately, his enormous figure simply sat upright, silently sipping his tea and chewing on his sugary snacks, listening to the screams of the defenders on the walls as a sentry tower came crashing down into the icy Danube waters.

"Tell me daughter of Rasa, from noble to noble. If the empire collapsed under its own weight this very night what would you do?" Temari looked up at the admiral nervously. "When there is no one left to relay orders, when no one is left to give them…what happens then to soldiers like us?"

Temari's face was conflicted, eyebrows furrowed and eyes cast downward. Finally she sighed and relaxed herself.

"I would leave, go find my family out East, but it won't come to that."

"You're quite devoted aren't you?" for the first time the old Admiral turned his large head towards Temari and smiled. "Listen, when you find something to be loyal to hold onto it until that final day."

"Sir!" a naval officer is a gold vest and billowing beige trousers shouted, coming up behind the admiral and saluting. "An army, a relief force we believe has emerged from the forests to the west."

Huseyin looked up, and for the first time since Temari had arrived she saw something resembling fire in his glassy eyes. "Excellent."

* * *

"Preferred placement?"

"Front lines," Sasori almost raised an eyebrow at this comment, almost. Instead he settled for a dead stare at Shikamaru translated Neji's answer. The group's wagon containing to thump down the soggy dirt road as the rebel force headed for the city. The Hyuga returned the look with a dismissive wave of his head. "We didn't come all the way west to sightsee."

Sasori looked back down at the papers in his hand, and scratched down a few names with a quill while Shikamaru translated his instructions. "You'll be with the southern light cavalry then. There's a small force of soldiers there watching the backs of the frigates south of the river. If we scatter them the others will try to reinforce and we can disorganize the entire force.

"So that's it? We just charge them?" Shikamaru asked stating the obvious as he stared out at the depths of the forest. Murmuring came from the back of the wagon where Kiba sat on his knees, eyes closed, an amulet clutched in his hands.

"We're dealing with an army commanded by sixteen doddering old men and spoiled brats from the provincial elite. It took them two weeks just to agree to start bombardment, one good shove and they'll start bickering amongst each other again." Sasori replied in a no-nonsense voice, apparently unconcerned that he was assigning formations literally two minutes away from the field.

"We await your instruction then." Shikamaru nodded. Sasori handed him a slip of paper, pointed towards a group of men on horseback and rode off towards the next wagon, apparently unconcerned about the impending battle. Kiba's murmurings finished and the trio jumped from the wagon onto the sod path.

"What does someone like you pray about before a battle?" Neji asked, a bit more flippantly that he would've liked. Kiba just shrugged, placing the foreign looking silver amulet back inside his shirt.

"Mercy," he said as Akamaru jumped down after the group.

"You…the womanizing adventurer," Shikamaru drawled. "You never exactly struck me as the religious type Kiba,"

"It's more by birth but…hey, we're out here to fight other people's wars and to kill people for money. If you're okay with that then fine."

"Maybe you're just over thinking your part in this," Shikamaru said stretching his back. Neji considered expounding on his philosophy about fate and destiny, but decided against it.

"Eh, I got this damn little thing called empathy. Can't help but think how it feels on the other end of the blade."

"You know, if you showed this much sensitivity around women you might not get slapped around all the time." Shikamaru piped up. For once Kiba rolled his eyes as he ribbed his approaching friend in the ribs.

"All right, all right, c'mon you pansy's are we gonna do this or not?" he grinned, unsheathing his claws, and with that the three of them headed towards the battlefield.

* * *

"I am offended! Think of my position! The noble outlaw rebelling against the crumbling and corrupt social order. I am a noble warrior! I have scruples, I have honor, I am…"

"A backstabbing thief." Sasori said as he featureless face stared down Mehmed's now red visage. "You kircali are here for plunder and cash, that's all. So let me issue you this warning, if you even think about betraying us on the field there will be no monarch on Earth that will protect you from me."

With that Sasori rode away leaving the seething chieftain stewing in his own anger. His retinue of soldiers around him, arrayed in a diamond formation parted ways to let the commander out, all looking at each other anxiously as Mehmed's face grew redder.

Mehmed's horse, ostentatiously dressed up in silver armor plates and a gold covered harness snorted once as his rider began shaking with anger, his precious brightly colored jewelry jangling as he did. Six of his specially chosen girls with horses chained to his, dressed up in some sort of foreign costume, sporting exotic looking weaponry shifted nervously in their saddles.

Tenten sighed inwardly, resting her chin on her horses head, preparing for the inevitable brazen display of lunacy from her kidnapper in a futile attempt to repair his rapidly disintegrating ego.

"Today my people! Today we fight to the death!" Mehmed yelled forcing the horse up onto its hind legs, making sure he was loud enough for Sasori to hear as his tawdry purple cape studded with quartz stones flapped behind him.

And there it was. The Kircali band bolted forwards, the girls keeping pace with Mehmed's horse and the retinue riding alongside them as they headed for the Danube river crossing.

* * *

"If we retreat past this tree line spring the trap," the cavalry officer commanded as a small contingent of soldiers dropped the mercenaries off in a pocket of forest south of the river. The guns for hire nodded in reply and melted into the trees as the cavalry faded seamlessly back into the mass of horsemen.

The mercenaries watched through the trees as the horses thundered across the plains, sounding like thunder clapping across the sky. The warhorses were kept at a steady pace, giving the soldiers one last chance to examine their muskets and side arms, to check their bayonets and to steel themselves for the charge.

Flanking the soldiers along the riverside were the kircali, their gilded horses moving as fast as their masters cracked the whip. As soon as one chieftain shouted forward the others followed suite, not wanting to be outdone. The bandits pounded forward, bellowing like madman as their horses broke into wild sprints. The group's lurid costumes and tastelessly bright colored armor sparkled and reflected the high sun, making them perfect targets for the assembling rows of trained marksmen.

Tenten grit her teeth as she clutched her bow tightly. Mehmed was letting out a blood-curdling yell as he swung his rifle wildly in the air. Only Mehmed and his close friends were allowed to carry guns, it was beneath everyone else's station he had said. Tenten had decided privately that the only reason he'd really restricted their use was due to the fear that one of his servants might some day get so angry that he'd try off him on the battle field. Not that Tenten hadn't considered it many times before, but chained to Mehmed's horse and surrounded by his retinue she knew she'd never last long.

* * *

It was a sound strategy Shikamaru decided, having the cavalry charging lines of musket men. Even Neji and Kiba looked fairly relaxed for being in the heat of battle. Armies with gunpowder weapons soldiers often had to line up in the open in large long formations due to the fact that the muskets most armies were equipped with couldn't even hit the broad side of a camel at more than eighty paces. Approaching from multiple directions meant the meager forces south of the city were much more likely to break and run even before the horses were within range. Really, they were hiding in the forest as the backup plan, in case the entire thing went south. Still…something didn't seem right.

Then the imperial forces raised their weapons, the suns reflection on the barrels shone in the light when suddenly there was a horrendous crack, the sound of a volley of guns firing in unison. Shikamaru blinked, and half a moment later horses and riders collapsed onto the dirt. In an instant the atmosphere changed, murmurings broke out amongst the mercenaries as they tensed back up and rearmed themselves.

"Capital troops," Shikamaru grunted, mentally kicking himself as the remaining horsemen came to an abrupt halt, pointlessly discharged their short range guns and wheeling around. Rifles, of course the commander in charge could afford to place a line of deadly accurate long range riflemen at his most vulnerable position.

It was as if the dam had broke, the imperial troops formerly having seemed to be a small collection of soldiers huddled around the shores of the river surged forward in a confused array, on foot and on horseback, chasing the badly mauled fleeing rebels.

"Get ready," Shikamaru commanded as he clutched his sword, stratagems racing through his mind. This had become really bothersome, really fast.

* * *

"Tenten!" a familiar voice rang out. Tenten rubbed her head as Lee shook her. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"German engineering happened, the weapons we got by the crate the imperials must've been somehow acquired by the wagon." Tenten grumbled referring to the guns they had just torn through their formation. The last thing she remembered was being thrown from her horse after two rounds of gunfire went off. "Those bastards…they hit us from the front and across the river. They made us think we had the upper hand until the last moment."

A few figures stirred around them, only a few actual chieftains appeared to have survived the barrage of bullets. Not five yards from where Tenten was thrown Mehmed lay in a pool of his own blood, his bright silks stained red near both his stomach and right shoulder. Lee crawled over, and effortlessly slung the body over his shoulder as he stood up.

"Umm, why are we taking him?" Tenten asked, standing up with him, her head still swirling from when she'd been thrown off her horse. She grabbed the set of golden keys from Mehmed's soaked red sash and began unchaining herself and the rest of the dead bodies from the now incapacitated chief.

"He is still a human, no matter how odd his fashion sense," the man in the skintight green spandex moralized. "Do you deny that we owe him at least this?"

Tenten rolled her eyes and huffed as she quickly strung her bow, fitted an arrow and pointed it in Lee's direction before commanding "Duck."

Lee did so without thinking as a dull thud reverberated close to his ears. By the time the string had snapped back into place a charging ottoman foot soldier, bayonet affixed to his gun lay dead fifty yards away.

"Catch," Lee yelled, placing his foot under Mehmed's fallen rifle and tossing it up into the air towards Tenten. Catching it with one hand the girl quickly brought it up and moved the stock up against her shoulder. Then with the accuracy and focus of a trained sniper she pulled the trigger watching another man amongst the horde drop. It was enough to give the others momentary pause. "We must get to the rendezvous point."

"No arguments here," Tenten agreed, taking the gun and sprinting away with Lee.

* * *

"What's the plan?" Kiba asked as the retreating horses galloped past, followed by the fast falling men whose horses had been shot out from beneath them. Behind them the horde of imperial soldiers, bayonets and sabers gleaming in the sun pursued.

"They're just charging us, they're a disorganized mess right now." Shikamaru said quickly. "If we divide them it'll give us all the time we need to pretend like we're retreating in good order."

"So we don't even have a chance of turning this thing around is that what you're saying?" Kiba asked as Akamaru growled at the incoming soldiers.

"Realities on the battlefield are a lot more stark than pure military theory Kiba." Neji lectured, eyes closed and feet crossed in meditation.

"Fine, so long as you don't see any of us dying in your crystal ball," Kiba grinned as the vibrations of hundreds of feet pounding against the ground could be felt inside the forest. There was silence amongst the men as Shikamaru had one hand held in the air, waiting for the perfect moment. Finally, when half the pursuing horde had past the hand snapped to his side. Neji's eyes came open, and Shikamaru removed his hat as his katana emerged from his sheath.

Wordlessly, the band rushed out of the forest and collided with the oncoming swarm. Kiba was the first one in, face snarling, claws extended and flanked by his vicious rabid looking dog. The effect was immediate, the mass began to crumble as if Kiba had been a battering ram. Moving like a man possessed Kiba cut a swath of destruction, slashing wildly at the men around him.

Behind him the mercenaries poured forward, shouting at the top of their lungs weapons in hand. Shikamaru motioned for Neji to follow him as they darted out behind Kiba. The soldiers had managed to turn their attention towards him and a towering man wielding a massive bronze scimitar managed to swing in his direction. By this time Neji had jumped forward, and stepping low he avoided the blow. With two elegant turns of his feet he spun behind the man and slashed him across the back before he and Shikamaru returned to their task of making their way through the army. What Kiba had done with brute strength Neji did with finesse. With a series of short precise cuts he managed to clear out another group of soldiers finally bisecting the entire herd in two. Behind them the other mercenaries had filled the path they'd made. The imperial soldiers in front, fearing that they'd been completely cut off began to panic.

"That's that. Should've planned their pursuit better," Shikamaru said lethargically, almost yawning as a soldier rushed him with a bayonet. Neji swiftly stepped in front of him before casually parrying and cutting the man down with one hand.

"Agreed," Neji replied parrying another opponent's blade before quickly riposting. "Still, if they manage to regroup we'll be little more than target practice."

"Right, there's no disguising this, a complete military failure."

* * *

"I told the fool to pursue at his own risk, he's going to loose half his force if he keeps this up." Admiral Huseyin said, a slight huff in his voice, showing to anyone who'd spent any time at all with him his immense annoyance with the situation at hand. He lowered his telescope and turned his eyes back to the battle on the northern river. He extended the spyglass to Temari inviting her to take a look at the battle herself.

Temari brought the device up to her eye and began to observe the ambush, carefully looking over every aspect of the battle on the hillside. Suddenly, she stopped cold.

"That's…the man from Egypt. They're not inside the city." Without another seconds delay she tossed the spyglass back and headed for the edge of the frigate.

"Temari! Wait!" Huseyin called.

It was to late, quickly leaping from the bow of the ship she disappeared from view and a second later hit the water with a splash.

* * *

The relief of Vidin, turned into the skirmish outside of Vidin, where a motley crew of rebel soldiers, bandits and mercenaries were lured into a trap, and driven off by new found imperial firepower, the only blessing being that the forces of the sultan had been unable to pursue.

Despite this, spirits were high at the rendezvous point, what was formerly a moderate sized village to the south of the city. Now the village was going up in smoke as men stumbled around carrying goods and treasures they'd looted from the homes. Drunken soldiers laughed as they toasted each other with wine stolen from the cellars of the local landowners, trying to forget the day's events. At the far end of town more men bickered over the rights to the weapons and armor of the few imperial soldiers that had been garrisoned in the area.

"Sasori! What is this?" Shikamaru demanded, walking up to the commander. The trio had dispersed almost immediately upon arriving. Kiba had run towards the sight of flames, while Neji had drifted away as he tended to do at times. The man looked back at him, emotionless as always.

"We looted and pillaged the surrounding countryside. No less than the mighty Sultans forces will be allowed to do if Vidin falls to them. If we massacre the local garrisons we force at least some of the soldiers to break off from the siege to protect these areas, and you get paid. Got a problem with it?"

Shikamaru and Sasori stared each other down, until Shikamaru gave a low grunt and skulked away.

"What's the matter? Afraid to pick on someone who can fight back?" Kiba and Akamaru stood in front of a small stone church on the villages edge, claws and teeth bared as they growled at the assembled crowd of rebels. Inside the church the villagers who had sought one final refuge inside could be heard shuffling around. The stare down continued, only when Shikamaru walked up on Kiba's flank and drew his blade did the group start to disperse. Kiba gave a relieved sigh as the soldiers moved on and dropped to the ground. Akamaru whined next to him as they looked out at the still burning village. Kiba spoke up in a weary voice.

"Shikamaru, I know what you guys said, and I know this is kind of par for our course…but I just don't think I can do this anymore. This isn't like the other jobs. Its stopped being fun."

"So killing for money only requires a prayer, but when it stops being fun is where you draw the line?" Shikamaru said a bit snippily, sliding his sword back into its sheath.

"Don't get smart with me." Kiba drawled back, his voice still jaded and drained as he continued to pet Akamaru's head. "Everyone we killed in our past jobs were soldiers or other mercenaries, people all agreed to sign up for their jobs knowing full well that they were putting their lives on the line. This….it's to much like it was back home. Isn't this what you were trying to run from?"

"Yeah…maybe it's time we move on."

* * *

Neji walked the hills surrounding the town, reluctant to get any closer to the scene than he already was. Towns on fire, the screams of villagers it was all a little to familiar. It didn't matter though, it shouldn't matter, those days were behind him.

Something in the corner of his eye gave him pause. A large, gaudily dressed and decorated red circus tent. The glow of the lanterns inside the tent could be seen in all directions, it certainly had the mark of the kircali on it. Akamaru could've done a better job designing it Neji decided. It was only now, having been snapped out of his own thoughts that he saw Tenten down by his feet. For awhile the two appeared speechless, as if they hadn't expected to see the other ever again.

"You survived?" Neji spoke up first, sounding genuinely intrigued.

"Surprised?" Tenten smiled back, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm surprised any of you survived that dual barrage," Neji replied, recalling having seen a second volley of smoke from across the river. He sat himself down next to Tenten as the girl eyed him with humor.

"You saw that? So I guess those eyes aren't just for show huh?" She almost laughed, though a quick gaze back at the town brought her out of her revelry. "Another battle, another raid, another burning town…tomorrow we get to wake up and do it all again."

"Must be fate," Neji replied instinctively. Tenten gave him a dead stare combined with two sharply raised eyebrows, everything indicating that this had not been the right thing to say. Caught of guard Neji quickly tried changing the subject. "So why are you here?"

"I was kidnapped, traded, sold. Trapped in a life I never wanted, forced to repeat the same atrocities over and over... y'know, the usual," Tenten said with a sigh. She flopped back onto her back and took a look at the evening sky above, untainted by the smoke from the village, painted instead by wonderful purple and orange hues. Neji looked up with her, deciding that it was so very close to the sunsets back out in Japan. He glanced at Tenten's sad face for a brief second, watching her forlorn eyes gaze upward. For someone so upbeat, she seemed to be a very sad figure indeed. The skies, he decided weren't the only thing similar to their Japanese counterparts. A voice in his head told him to keep quiet, but a little nagging feeling in the back of his brain compelled him to speak up.

"Do you want out?" he asked suddenly.

"Huh?" Tenten looked surprised, as if the answer should've been obvious, but also as if the simple idea was absurd. "Of course. I've had plenty of chances to run, but I can't leave Lee behind to take the fall. He's always convinced Mehmed that the only thing I'm good for is fighting so he was assigned as my "handler," and I can't just abandon the rest of these girls here."

"Then come with me, I'll get you out, all of you." Neji said suddenly. Tenten looked at him sideways, trying to find out if his dry and straightforward tone was masking some kind of gag.

"The mercenary and the bandit huh? Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke," she finally said sitting up and smiling. Neji didn't return the look. "You're serious then…okay pretty boy, what's the catch?"

"We're going to need to leave tonight."

"What happened to 'it must be fate,'"?

"Maybe… I just know how you feel…just a little bit."


	5. Escape

**I apologize again, I came down with some kind of bug, and to make a long story short it was not a very fun time. Hopefully I can make it up to you guys with an extra long chapter. Now, a big thank you to everyone who left a review or sent me feedback, you guys are awesome. Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

"So, let me just get this straight Hyuga. You want us to desert from a rebel army, sneak this girl and her friends, who we just met this morning by the way out from under the nose of a violent ex-military bandit and travel through unfriendly territory because...?" Kiba began incredulously. Neji's expression remained unchanged obviously unimpressed by Kiba's glib.

"To be fair, it sounds like you were going to desert anyways," Tenten commented offhandedly, absentmindedly twirling a small throwing knife in her hand.

The group sat cross-legged around a small campfire, the orange smoke nipping at their now warm heels. Nighttime in the Vidin area had proved to be a good deal cooler though no less humid than it had been in the day. Kiba wiped a series of sweat droplets from his forehead as he continued.

"That's not the point. Look I don't mean to be rude, but just how many people would be taking," he paused as if to add emphasis onto the final part of his sentence, "On the run with us?"

"There's about 20," Tenten shrugged casually. Kiba clasped his hands together and cast his look of disbelief first towards Shikamaru, who seemed to be about five seconds away from slipping into a coma, and then back at Neji. The self-proclaimed ronin didn't even make eye contact, as if the topic had been closed long ago and that any attempt to try and press the issue didn't deserve the dignity of a response. Kiba threw up his hands at Neji's callous response, a wry expression on his face.

"Well bravo. I salute thee Neji Hyuga, let it never be said that you never took on a challenge. Say while you're at it let's try to revive the Mongol empire." Kiba began babbling, his voice dripping with a cynical sarcasm he could've only picked up after spending years around Shikamaru. He turned his head towards Tenten, the same pessimistic tone still in his voice. "I mean we just met you today. And seriously how many more of you can there be after…?"

Tenten stiffed at the beginning of the last sentence. Suddenly, Kiba decided that parts of his ramblings had been in poor taste. He attempted to cover up his blunder by promptly shutting his mouth and craning his neck in the direction opposite from the group; suddenly deciding that the open plains of the Bulgarian countryside looked particularly fascinating in the light of the campfire.

"He only drags around five of us into a battle at a time." Tenten explained, shrugging off Kiba's remarks just casually enough for Neji to raise an eyebrow. "That's about the amount he can chain to himself before we start getting tangled in each others…gilded manacles."

"Gilded manacles," Neji repeated, unsure he'd heard right.

"Yep, only the most stylish restraints for his slaves. Real charmer that one." Tenten huffed, picking up a piece of dried cedar wood and tossing it carelessly into the fire. "Look, we all understand this is a dangerous business, and you really aren't obliged to do anything…but I promised that I'd get myself and everyone I care about out of here, and I'm going to do that before any more of us get dragged to their deaths on some suicidal cavalry charge with or without your help."

"It's doable," Shikamaru spoke up for the first time watching the sparks from the fire fly upwards into the smoke. He lowered his head again and made eye contact with Neji. "We leave the mercenary work behind, defect to the imperial forces and take the girls with us."

"You saw what happened out there today. These rebels are no saints, but I'm betting those imperials are no better. Just what do we have that would make them take a group of defectors in with open arms instead of hanging us up by our heels?" Kiba jumped in, returning to the conversation with more skepticism.

"Formations, troop numbers, locations, the works," Shikamaru tapped on his skull idly. Kiba looked frazzled, he held up his arms and briefly clenched his palms as if trying to physically grasp an argument. Kiba knew that he had never been the best at debate but even when trying to match wits with someone like Shikamaru it always surprised him at just how incredibly annoyed he felt afterwards.

Kiba was, as Neji had long ago discovered a simple person. He was loyal to a fault and wore his heart on his sleeve. He was instantly suspicious of any potential 'threat' to his pack, but as soon as he accepted them as part of his troupe he'd probably swim to China and back for them. Of course until then….

"And you're just going to recall these from off the top of your head?"

"You're right, it's going to be such a pain reciting it all, but such is life," Shikamaru said with a shrug, unfolding his legs and flopping onto his back. The nighttime clouds drifted above, rolling in from the north until only the moon cast its light on the gathering.

"Not remotely what I meant." Kiba replied in what sounded like a frustrated groan. "Look I know we all snuck out of the Kyushu port alright but…"

"Kyushu?" Neji swore he saw Tenten's ears perk up at the word, all traces of misery disappearing from her face. It must've held some significance with her because she suddenly began talking a mile a minute. "Wait, so you're actually Japanese? I thought they didn't let you guys off the island, because they certainly don't let anyone on. I knew it. That's a katana isn't it? Tempered steel? Can I see it…?"

"Ok. Slow down," Neji began holding up a hand. Shikamaru smirked, Neji almost sounded amused, a rare event indeed. Neji turned back towards Kiba and provided his argument. "With the way things are going it's illogical to remain here and these girls are going to be more of an aid than a liability."

"Okay but…"

"Leave it be Kiba, he's made his promise. There's no point arguing with him when he's like this," Shikamaru snapped quickly, looking as if any more discussion on the topic was going to put him straight to sleep. It was Tenten's turn to eye Neji curiously. Shikamaru picked his back up off the ground scratched his head. "I suppose he already has a plan in mind."

* * *

Despite their considerably reduced numbers the crowd of shabbily dressed, most likely ill paid guards surrounding Mehmed's tent seemed not to have thinned. From their perch on a lonely hill not too distant a ways away from the village the sour faced guards cast longing glances down at the still burning husks of houses, dreaming of the goods they'd never be able to pilfer.

Actual members of the chieftains retinue, men in flashy red boots and silver coats, sporting fancy western looking rifles stood behind the watchmen by the entrance of the actual tent, trying to look official whilst their employer lay in recovery. After the debacle earlier that day everyone from the rebel officers in high command to the lowly mercenary bandits had been keen on salvaging whatever remained of their reputations. The kircali it seemed, did this by pretending that despite half their chieftains being dead or seriously wounded that absolutely nothing was amiss.

As soon as the men of the retinue disappeared back inside the massive mauve tent flaps a few of the guards tossed down their weapons and plopped themselves onto the ground. One guard in particular smiled to himself as he fished a handful of hazelnuts out of his coat pocket. Cracking a nut between two rocks, his calloused dirt covered hands picked through the bits of shell to find the sweet cream-colored innards.

It was the little things in life, he decided shoveling the hazelnut bits into his mouth and cracking another one. There would be more villages to loot, though he'd never really understood the burning part, it had always seemed a little counter intuitive. It still made for quite a sight though, flames lapping up the thatched roofs and wooden barns, working its way across the buildings towards the trees on the side of their hill…wait.

He swore out loud as he jumped to his feet, hazelnut shells falling from his pants before cupping his hands in front of his mouth and belting at the top of his lungs.

"Fire!" The one word sent the entire camp into a frenzy. The soldiers came pouring from tent as the guards scrambled to gather their belongings.

"Those lunatics must've lit up the forest when they started torching the garrison," one figure moaned as the flames began rapidly enclosing on their position. The well-dressed men of the retinue marched from beneath the flaps and began barking orders to the only half listening disorganized mob stumbling around in the darkness.

"Don't just stand there! Go get some water now! Where are the servants? Someone go watch over the horses!"

"Forty four men outside," Neji observed from the shadows. He folded his arms and took another close look at the landscape, his eyes sweeping over the humble white tents that lay outside main big top.

"That's less than half the number we had this morning…Looks like Kiba managed to get the blaze over here somehow," Tenten mused, trying to count the figures for herself before she began squinting at the dark. Only a series of shapeless fumbling black blobs came into her view. "Can you see in the dark or something?"

"Focus," Neji said promptly snapping his fingers.

"Right, right…my turn. The back line of tents is where they keep us at night." Tenten reflected as a series of clouds began to slip in front of the night's half moon. The celestial light began to fade leaving the only source of light to the dancing tips of the flames that were now threatening to sweep the first row of tents up into its brilliant orange and red inferno. "They'll be taking the horses out back to tie them up to the thick shrubbery.

Neji nodded and disappeared into the night while Tenten turned back towards the tent, took a deep breath and bee lined for the camp.

"And someone get the slaves out of here!" an officer shouted, hopping out of the tent, abandoning attempts to maintain his dignity as he forcibly yanked his gaudy red boots over his equally ugly mauve silken socks.

"I will do it!" a voice far too cheery and far too upbeat for the current situation exclaimed. The officer turned his head to see Rock Lee standing at attention. The man suddenly looked very unsure of himself. He glanced over at the fire and then back towards Rock Lee, still standing straight and at attention eager for orders.

"Ok," he finally sighed "Just be quick about it and make sure no one runs off on you this time."

"Roger!" Lee saluted before turning to his right and charging for the small tents where the confused looking girls were beginning to emerge. A familiar hand grabbed his shoulder as Lee spun around to come face to face with his friend. "Tenten, we need to…"

"Get the girls out, yeah I know. Take them out back with the horses, you know by those dead shrubs out back?"

"An excellent idea," Lee said, clenching a fist, fire in his eyes as his voice still brimmed with enthusiasm. Tenten exhaled in relief, this was going to go a whole lot faster with Lee already on the job.

"Alright, you inform the girls out here, I'm going to make sure there aren't any still inside," Tenten called out, already darting across the crimson mats in front of the door and into the main tent. She could tell, even before she entered that the space was abuzz. Servants were hustling about, gathering whatever they could and practically throwing the items out the exits with little regard for their fragility or cost. Carefully, Tenten maneuvered in between the scrambling bodies and glided towards Mehmed's makeshift medical cot, and the two girls sitting beside it, curiously eyeing the rush of activity around them.

"Exit, out back now!" She said motioning towards the back door before the two girls even had time to speak. The pair glanced at each other hesitantly before rising and heading for the tents rear. Tenten watched them disappear into the busy crowd with a slight smile hiding on her lips, then she turned back towards the figure lying on the bed and her eyebrows furrowed.

The air inside was sweat with the smell of spice and healing tonics surrounding Mehmed's bed. Wisps of smoke emanating from the brass incense lanterns suspended above him floated serenely through the air, forming ethereal shapes as the agitated servants continued to scurry about below. Beside the cot was a large white ceramic bowl with two bloodied bullets, hastily extracted from the subjects body, no doubt being left around as a souvenir.

Tenten gave a quick glance around her, checking to make the sure camps booze happy medical officer was asleep on the far side of the room, inebriated as always. She hovered over the body and glared down at the sweating figure. His breathing was heavy and erratic, face red and bandaged from where it had collapsed onto the ground. Cotton gauze draped his chest and left shoulder, holding tightly as he squirmed in his sleep.

Tenten felt something cold slip into her hand. Almost unconsciously she had slipped her hand into the weapons pouch on her hip and grabbed a steel dagger. She stopped short from pulling the knife into full view, but she knew it would be easy, so very easy in this chaos to simply finish him off and disappear.

"Give me one good reason," she muttered under her breath, ring finger running over the finely sharpened surface of the blade. She'd thought so long about a moment like this, an opportunity to finally rid herself of this man, and then just melt away into the shadows, and now here the opportunity was staring her in the face. Something gave her pause though, something about the thought of standing over his lifeless body, bloody knife in her hands gave her pause. Then, wordlessly, she dropped the dagger back into her pouch and headed for the exit.

Tenten felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off of her shoulders as she stepped out of the tent and into the faint moonlight. She thought about taking one last look behind her, but thought better of it and simply continued her journey down the slope of the hill leaving the the din and racket behind her. She approached the assembled group of whispering girls and stoic mercenaries with a smile on her face once again.

The only one not keeping their calm, seemed to be Lee, who was firing off questions a mile a minute at Shikamaru who was trying to pretend like he wasn't listening.

"Tenten!" Lee shouted as soon as his friend was visible. Swiftly, Tenten brought her hand down across his face.

"Shut up would you? Do you want us to get caught before we've even gone?" She demanded in a harsh whisper. Lee placed a hand on his cheek and nodded like a scolded child. "Honestly."

"We're leaving then, we're finally leaving?" one of the girl asked skeptically stepping forward beside Lee. Tenten's face split into a wide grin causing another round of excited murmuring to break out amongst the girls.

"A fire Tenten? How long can putting out a simple fire take? They will be on our heels before we know it!" Lee exclaimed a second time, the worry visible on his face.

"It won't delay them for long sure, but after hearing about how the local garrison was slaughtered we're betting that Imperial troops won't be far away." Kiba smirked, leering at the girls in an attempt to get a better view of his new company. He turned the look on Lee, and nodded his head towards the set of trees near the shrubbery where Neji emerged holding multiple pairs of horse reins. "It's also going to be especially hard for them to pursue us after they find out their best stallions went missing in the chaos."

"If we are caught…" Lee began calmer this time, his dark pupils met Tenten's, his voice scarily serious. "If we are caught, you know what will happen."

"Lee, you always worry to much." Tenten said meeting his gaze, before slugging him in the shoulder. She turned her head and eyed the three mounted mercenaries. "I have a feeling we can more than hold our own. It's over. We're done Lee. We're done killing for him."

Lee still looked less than reassured, but he took a deep breath and gave a short nod.

"Is everyone here then?" Neji asked slipping off his horse and handing the reins to Tenten. The girl nodded, taking the leather straps in her hand before placing a foot in the stirrup and pulling herself up. She wheeled the steed around so that she was facing the group.

"We only have so many horses so those of you who can't ride, find someone who can. We need to cover as much ground as possible tonight." She declared. Kiba grinned as he helped a demure looking pale girl up onto the horse while Akamaru barked in approval beside them. Neji watched with a dull expression, apparently it hadn't taken long for Kiba to welcome the newcomers to his pack after all.

"So um…these girls…" Kiba asked looking back at the figure who seemed to shrink under his gaze.

"Are not all fighters. I mean we're all trained but only eight of us here actually know how to string a bow and wield a sword effectively…our best fighters were all out on the field and they're gone now." Tenten added sourly.

"Then given our numbers I think we should avoid trouble if at all possible," Shikamaru suggested glancing off into the distance. Tenten nodded in agreement.

"North and East head back towards the battle field. Heading due west takes us into the mountains towards Serbia, the areas ruled by men like Osman, I doubt they'll be very accommodating," Tenten explained. "I don't know if you've noticed or not, but this entire empires on a knifes edge at the moment."

"South it is then." Neji decided. With that he turned his horse and broke into a slow trot, the others soon following suit. Kiba chuckled to himself as the girl behind him began clinging to his waist for dear life, but besides that the only noise that could be heard were the dull thuds of horse hooves against the ground. The fantastic racket now coming from the distant tent faded as they traveled further into the distance, the horses picking up speed and advancing into a full gallop. Finally, the camp disappeared behind them as they began their long late night ride over the vast Bulgarian plain.

* * *

Vratsa, Bulgaria, The Ottoman Empire, 1798

Riding all night puts as much strain on the rider as it does the horse. On the run and after hours in the saddle in the middle of the night every noise, every slight movement in the bushes and the cry of every wild animal caused the heart of someone in the group to skip a beat. Fatigued and on edge, hardly anyone spoke a word as they continued down the main dirt road, long broken in by the feet and hooves of marching armies. As soon as the town of Vratsa came into view more than few sighs of relief were heard.

The old Roman city lay between two ranges of mountains. It was a stronghold, a citadel guarding the pass towards the farmlands, a stopgap against the northern barbarian tribes. From a distance the town appeared as a nothing more than a small speck between the towering natural giants that flanked it on either side. For the tired travellers the range acted like a guide, barely illuminated by the dawning rays of the sun seeping through the peaks of the summits, the lush mountain faces pointing them towards a resting place.

After the exhausted horses trotted through town a ways the group pulled the horses to a stopping at a modest looking Inn. Sleepily, they dismounted and began stretching, no one noticing they were one member down. Neji had begun tiredly begun haggling with the owner as they led their tired mounts to the stables. The early rising inn owner had thrown aside his broom and welcomed them with open arms before promptly discussing fees, his thick green sleeves danced in the air as every new suggested price brought another round of blunt refusals followed by eager renegotiation.

"Good sir, if you can afford so many sterling stallions and women for your harem then surely this is a reasonable price." He exclaimed finally motioning to the crowd behind him. Neji made a mental note to leave the haggling to Shikamaru from there on out as Kiba and Tenten snickered loudly in the background. Twelve hours and not more than five sentences between the two and he could tell they shared a similar sense of humor, spectacular. Almost as tired as the horses, Neji caved with as much grace and formality as he could.

"Very well," he replied airily, as if the innkeeper had worn him down before dropping the wages Sasori had paid them into the mans open palm. "But let us leave further price negotiations until after we are…rejuvenated."

"Of course most valued customer," he smiled, green sleeves falling to the side of his robes. He clapped his hands twice as the young stable boys walked forward to collect the horses. "Now, upstairs my friends, for a good days rest, and when you awaken you may find only the cities finest prepared for your table."

The innkeepers smile widened, his job done as he ushered them into the homely two-story inn, floors lined with worn Persian rugs and walls decorated with bucolic Turkish tapestries.

"Until we are rejuvenated," Tenten almost giggled in a mocking voice. "You're good at playing the aristocrat."

"I used to be one," Neji replied absentmindedly as they trudged up the steps towards the inns second floor.

"Ooh, royalty and all that? Color me intrigued." Tenten returned before yawning deeply. "Never mind, none of my business. Let's just get some sleep."

Neji bowed his head in her direction as if to bid her a good rest as the crowd filed into the multiple rooms Neji had insisted upon. Sleepily he began following the guys as Kiba promptly hit the bed without another seconds notice.

"Oh and Neji?" The Hyuga paused, turning back one more time. Tenten looked at him, bags under her eyes, hair mused and cheeks red, but with a genuine look of appreciation in her smile. "Thanks, it's good to know there's still decent people out here."

"Wait a minute…" Kiba said, his head perking up off his pillow before Neji could respond. He popped out of the doorway and looked around, sensing that something was amiss before glancing up at Neji unsure if he was asleep or awake. "Where's Shikamaru?"

* * *

Shikamaru spun to the right, his white collar prying itself free from the hands that had silently snatched him into an alleyway not five seconds after he'd dismounted his horse. He blinked lazily, cursing the fact that he'd already been half asleep when he'd rode into town at the back of the group. A four foot long piece of Damascus steel came crashing downwards as Shikamaru rolled to the left before the weapon cracked the bricks he'd been standing on just second earlier. He drew his sword just a moment too late, the steel weapon knocked it out of his hand and pinned him against the wall. Shikamaru's tired gaze fell upon his attacker, the livid face of the girl who'd taken him into custody back in Egypt.

"I'm guessing you weren't in on the whole rebellion idea then," Shikamaru deadpanned. It was a nasty habit of his, ramping up his sarcasm when he got himself into trouble. No one seemed to enjoy it much, be it other swordsmen or his mother. This girl however, seemed to take particular offense at his words.

"Sending troops to my empires enemies isn't something I make a habit of, no," Temari replied, dropping her weapon with one hand before viciously pinning his chest up against the wall with her other.

"Okay sure," Shikamaru coughed "But besides that…."

"Oh you want to play dumb with me? Ok, let's see, you entered the country with zero documentation for starters. Also, who gave you permission to ship those girls around? You're running a slave market now?" Temari gave him a contemptuous glare squeezing him up against the alleyway wall extra hard before letting his exhausted body drop to the ground. "Letting mercenaries like you in brings nothing but trouble does it?"

A thousand explanations crossed Shikamaru's mind, a thousand ways to explain the situation, convincing arguments and emotional speeches that could sway his captor one way or another popped into his brain. Then, pragmatically, he chose the path of least resistance, shrugged, lay back up against the wall and closed his eyes.

"Don't you dare go to sleep on me!" Temari bellowed, her weapon suddenly floating dangerously above his head.

"Well I'm certainly not arguing with you," Shikamaru scoffed opening a single eye.

"You're not even going to try and explain yourself?" Temari felt her own eye twitch slightly. Of all the idiotic fools to get her hands on it had to be this one. From the way he'd been directing the others back in Alexandria and out in Vidin she'd felt with some degree of confidence that he'd been their ringleader. Now, seeing the languid figure in front of her stare up with annoyance she was convinced that she'd been mistaken.

"Even if I were to try and explain myself you seem hell bent on making me the bad guy, so it would just descend into an argument." Shikamaru droned, Temari's annoyed look making him grimace even more. "And arguing with women is pointless…and a pain."

"So you're just admitting you're guilty," Temari asked, her weapon still dancing threateningly above his head. A few early morning citizens had peaked curiously over towards the alleyway, only to be sent packing by a quick scowl from Temari. Shikamaru watched them bolt from the scene incredulously.

"Give me a break mom" he droned sarcastically, still unsure of why he was even trying to talk to this one. "I haven't slept in almost two days."

"You haven't slept? Oh you poor thing." Temari gibed back, her voice equally sarcastic before yanking him to his feet by his collar and shoving him towards the wall face first. "Just how far do you think I followed you?"

"I might try to venture a guess, if I cared…which I don't." Shikamaru returned snappily as Temari tied his hands up and shoved him forward onto the road.

"Keep joking, see what happens" She warned clasping him firmly by the shoulder and marching him down the street. "As soon as I get all of you I'm throwing you aboard a prison brig and sending you all to stand trial."

As they began the walk towards the town center Temari spotted a young boy running towards them, trying not to trip over his own long gangly legs. He stopped a few feat ahead and tried to spout out his message without a moments rest.

"Lady Temari!" he gasped, placing his hands on his knees and trying to catch his breath "I'd heard you'd returned. I have news… fresh news. It's Napoleon ma'am, he….he's invaded Egypt!"


	6. Backlash

**No sooner had I gotten over the first bug when all of a sudden...I caught another. So this past week hasn't been pleasant but I'm feeling a good deal better now. As always I hope you enjoy the chapter, and remember feedback is always welcome. Seriously it keeps me going, is the story moving to slow? How are the characters? Is the development believable? Stuff like that. Anyways, enough of my begging, please enjoy!**

In the summer of 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte touched down in Alexandria sending shockwaves across the European continent and despair into the hearts of Ottoman high command. The French frigates caught the garrison crews in the cities defensive citadel napping, and the formerly proud mamluk officers quickly abandoned their posts allowing the Corsican commander of the French military, flush from his victories in his Italian campaign to stroll onto the Egyptian shores completely unopposed.

* * *

Vratsa, Bulgaria, The Ottoman Empire, 1798

"Yeah but what does it mean that he's taken Egypt? What about Cairo or, or… Palestine? Just what's going on? Can't we communicate with anyone down there?"

Temari was well aware that she was babbling at this point. Something inside her had just snapped, it was as if the last safe haven against the chaos that had defined her life so much as of late had been snatched right out from under her. Alexnadria, her home for so many years, overrun by a foreign power, half a continent away for reasons completely unbeknownst to her.

The janissary guards behind her, tall lanky provincial men, granted the janissary title only by their association with the local garrison shifted their feet nervously. In front of her the local judge shuffled his very few, official looking papers for the seventh time since the blonde haired Egyptian had stormed through the door, trying to find a new way to organize them whilst avoiding Temari's desperate and furious gaze. He scanned the various military orders, requisition requests and government documents, deciding to try alphabetical order this time. He glanced back up briefly, only to meet a pair of angry teal orbs staring back down at him.

"Look Temari," the Judge attempted finally, folding his hands carefully. His own eyes looking up heavily from beneath his tall conical yellowish turban, knowing he wasn't going to be able to give her the answer she wanted. "This just came in from Sofia yesterday. This backwater they dropped me in is just barely enough even to warrant a municipal garrison, let alone the kind of information relays I'd need to be privy to that sort of information."

"Perfect, just perfect." Temari exploded, slamming her fist onto the plain looking Turkish oak desk in front of her. The judge's small silver stamp and glass inkwell jumped and crashed dangerously close to the edge of the desk. She turned and motioned towards a tired looking figure occupying the floor on the far side of the room. "So what am I supposed to do with this loser and his friends in the meantime? I have nowhere to take them. Do I just have to let him go then?"

"No please, don't stop on my account," Shikamaru shot back at her, his sarcastic edge poking through is bored exterior as he examined in the riveting site of the star shaped carnelian colored tapestries that lined the otherwise plain plaster white walls for the fifth time.

"You stay out of this," Temari snapped, sounding about three second away from a psychotic break. Her hands fell back down on the table, anger practically palpable. The glass inkwell jumped once again, bouncing off the table and entering free fall until a black-gloved hand snatched it out of mid air. The hand, belonging to a heavy set mustachioed janissary carefully turned the glass right side up and set it back on the table.

"So what happens now?" Temari sighed, moving back from the table to straighten her back and stretch her arms; the days of subsisting on four hours of sleep and spending the rest of the day riding in the saddle seeming to catch up with her all at once. She glanced over at the janissary beside the judge, as if to direct the question at him. "Commander?"

The Janissary, rocking back and forth on the heels of his black regulation military boots unconsciously making his blue turban bob, looked as uncomfortable as the judge.

"I dispatched the message to Grand Admiral Huseyin late last night. The Sultan can't split its forces between Egypt and Vidin…Selim's going to issue Osman a full pardon to so he can focus on Napoleon." He said finally, stroking his mustache nervously. From where he sat Shikamaru's eyes narrowed, this put a definite dent in their plans.

"A full pardon?" Temari breathed, turning on her heel and pacing across the dull grey stone floor, a look of defeat on her face. "So I trudged all the way across the empire to find a bunch of criminals who are now exempt from punishment by imperial edict?"

"Temari your father was a good friend, if it means that much to you I can just look the other way. Look I'll have my men round up your mercenaries and we'll find something to charge them with, won't be hard." The janissary commander said officially, staring straight ahead to try and avoid eye contact as the four blonde ponytails whirled in and out of his vision.

Temari paused again and looked over at Shikamaru, sitting defiantly against the wall, his legs crossed. The two held the mutual gaze for what felt like an eternity, both daring the other to back down. The judge swore he saw Temari's eye twitch at least once. Finally, Temari snapped back towards the two sheepish looking Ottoman officials.

"I can't deal with this right now," she muttered, placing a hand on her forehead.

"Your call of course," the commander acknowledged with a nod as he and the judge began walking for the door, glad to finally be rid of the tense atmosphere. Temari looked over at the guards and snapped her fingers. The two quickly walked over and dragged Shikamaru to his feet before following her out.

* * *

The town of Vratsa just now seemed to be coming alive. The last few of the cities Turkish officials filed out of the mosque, having finished up morning prayers. They adjusted their turbans and straightened their robes, quickly trading jokes and information before they proceeded on their way to work. The sound of the metal workers, hammering away in their smithies, on the precious minerals extracted from the towering mountains which hugged the town echoed throughout the squares and alleyways. Finally, just off the main road a fair distance from the Drunken Siphai Inn, three figures inspected a finely forged Japanese katana carelessly scattered across the ancient stone pavement.

Neji picked it up by the handle and examined the worn grip bound with a dark green-checkered scarf.

"It's his. Can you get a scent?" he confirmed as Tenten took it from his hands and gave it a thorough examination. Neji looked over towards Kiba and Akamaru. The duo stood quietly looking across the street at a humble brick church with a domed tower. The walls were worn and sections obviously looked older than others, indicating multiple rebuilding's.

"Kiba," Neji repeated. The duo's ears perked up simultaneously as both Kiba and Akamaru turned their heads. Tenten dropped the weapon back into Neji's hand who in turned held it out towards Kiba. "Can you pick up his scent?"

The man looked sheepishly away from the pair, scratched his head absentmindedly before answering in a preoccupied voice, as if he'd just been snapped out of a dream.

"N-no…too many people."

"I don't like this," Tenten muttered as Neji walked back out onto main street, motioning for the others to follow him. His eyes swept the roads and faces, looking for anything that might point him back towards Shikamaru.

"Yeah, it looks like trouble," Kiba responded as he took one last look back at the small church, his voice still dazed. He turned back around and rushed to catch up with the others.

"No, I mean I really don't like this." Tenten said, as the group came to a stop near the open town square. The other two paused and turned to look at her as Tenten lowered her voice. The square was surprisingly quiet. The only sound came from the pats of the courier's feet as they ran messages between the impressive looking stone courthouse and the various offices. "Look, I don't mean to sound rude to you guys after rescuing me and all my friends from literal enslavement, but just last night I had nothing to loose. Today…"

"We can't leave without Shikamaru," Kiba answered quickly, snapping back to reality as Neji's mouth curdled into a barely visible frown.

"I'm…I'm not saying that. Of course we'll find him, and of course I'm very grateful to you for all you've done; but I have people I've been looking out for as well. My own 'pack' if you will, and after just taking them out of the lion's den I can't let anything happen to them." Tenten explained, her voice sounding almost painfully apologetic. "This situation…this just reeks of trouble."

Neji closed his eyes and sighed, as if in acknowledgement of his new companions dilemma. He opened his eyes again and looked squarely at Tenten, who almost shrank back under his blank gaze. At the north end of the square the large russet rock bell tower struck eight bells.

"We'll do what we can…" he began. Tenten just returned his anxious sigh and nodded as if she'd seen his reply coming. "And we'll find Shikamaru, for now lets just focus on..."

"Neji?" Kiba asked as the stoic wanderer paused his reply. The group tried to follow Neji's gaze when he suddenly took off, heading for the square.

"Let's go," Neji quickly called back to the pair.

"Does he do this often?" Tenten gasped, jumping to attention and running after him.

"More than I'd like," Kiba groaned, bringing up the end of the pack.

* * *

"March," the guard demanded, the butt of his musket jamming into his prisoners back. Shikamaru stumbled into the room behind Temari. It was a perfectly unremarkable looking place, creaking wooden floors, with a plain one person bed in the corner, a single oak working desk, barely half the size of the one downstairs all illuminated by the light from the singular oval window that overlooked the town square.

"Would it kill you to at least take my jacket off? I'm burning alive in here," he complained loudly to the guards face. The two janissaries hefted their muskets and looked over at Temari as if to ask 'you sure you want this guy here'. Temari just shrugged and set her stuff down on the desk.

The guards briefly untied him, took his jacket off and promptly tossed it back in his face with as much force as possible before placing the bindings back on him. With one last look back at the ruffled foreigner and one more salute towards their the important guest the two guards exited the room.

Shikamaru shook the jacket from his face, and tried his best to discretely slide it behind his back. Temari for her part, alternated between staring out the window and pacing the short distance between the desk and the door, tossing the small layer of sawdust about as she mulled her options over in her mind.

"You're wearing a groove into the floor," Shikamaru finally drawled sarcastically. Temari, snapped suddenly out of her contemplation glared over at the man who was now standing by the window, having draped his jacket across the curtain rod in absence of having curtains to draw.

"You **will** stay out of this or I swear I'm going to have your head on the end of a pike," she demanded as she returned to her pacing, Shikamaru shrugged and went back to sitting up against the wall. Temari threw herself into the lone chair in front of the desk and propped her feet up on it. Shikamaru watched her fierce expression stare off into space as her left hand absentmindedly fiddled with a ponytail, a habit born of stress Shikamaru guessed.

"Why do you stay here?" he asked finally. Temari shot him another death glare, indicating for him to shut up. "Ok, fine. I know what you're thinking and you're probably right. I'm what my people call a ronin, and all that means is that I'm like one of your…armored knights, a warrior without a lord or master to pledge himself to. Maybe, I've just forgotten what its like."

"My business," Temari began, her angry glare turning to one of annoyance. "Is none of yours."

"Indulge me." Shikamaru pressed, seeing a brief look of interest pass over her face. "Corruption, bandits, rebellion. Face it, your countries coming apart at its seems. My country was a lot like yours, collapsing in on itself."

Temari just snorted.

"So you ran then?"

"Only foolish men stay on doomed ships," Shikamaru shrugged.

"Is that it? No point in pledging yourself to a land, which wasn't worth serving?" Temari returned haughtily. "No ship is ever doomed, all I see is a wandering vagabond who can't commit to something he starts. In these parts we call you traitors."

"Ever considered that some things are just beyond your hands?"

"That's funny coming from a lay about who's done nothing but complain and sit on his ass for as long as I've known him."

The two both paused, staring at the ceiling off into space, their heads swirling with thoughts and ideas. There was silence until Shikamaru spoke up again.

"I was fine pledging myself to a stagnant regime because of one reason, they protected the people I cared about. When my involvement put them in danger…I ran." His voice grew sour as Temari cast a look over him, not an angry look, or an annoyed one, but a simple neutral gaze. Shikamaru chuckled wryly still looking towards the ceiling. "Guess I guess I have more scruples than my comrades give me credit for; me the slacker clown, is also the one with scruples. That…that's hysterical."

There was another long pause. The dead warm air in the room cooling slightly, the outside heat being mitigated by Shikamaru's jacket.

"So what's your point?" Temari asked finally.

"Hell if I know. Stick to your guns? Keep your loved ones close? When fleeing the country find something more important to take than your dog? I know I probably had a point in there somewhere…I guess…my point is that sometimes the right decision aren't going to be the easy ones."

"Then I'll take your advice." Temari said finally grabbing her stuff from the desk. Shikamaru looked over at her with a raised eyebrow. "I know what I have to do, and I know there's only one person who can give me the authority to do it,"

"Wait a minute…" this wasn't looking good.

"Sit tight," she said dragging him to his feet once again. "We're headed to Constantinople."

"This is the last time I open my big mouth."

"Oh the Heavens be praised."

* * *

"That's his jacket alright, but what the heck are you doing?" Tenten muttered as Neji scribbled over the back of the groups map that Kiba had fished out of his saddlebag. Neji kept sparing glances back up towards the distant window as the group huddled beside the silver smithy across the street.

"He pulled the threads from his emblem and used those to imprint a message on the back of his coat," Neji muttered looking at the symbols he'd just transcribed. Kiba glanced over his shoulder and scratched his head.

"Oh great, another one of his word puzzles?" he sighed. "That's a surprising amount of work for him. If whoever took him tied him up then he'd have to get them to remove his jacket, hang it in the window, keep them distracted and then place the threads on there while they weren't looking."

"Well I gathered that," Tenten began looking back at the paper as Neji continued scribbling on with a piece of charcoal that Akamaru had found tossed onto the street. She pointed towards the inscriptions he was jotting down. "What I meant is what the hell is that?"

"Katakana," Neji replied shortly, sounding out characters under his breath.

"It looks like chicken scratch, I thought you Japanese took your writing style from China."

"You're probably thinking of kanji characters," Kiba said eyeing the strange look on Tenten's face as she continued listening to Neji mutter.

"So this is…shorthand?"

"Sort of," Neji explained. "It's complicated."

Tenten just rolled her eyes.

"Islanders," the pair heard her mutter as Neji put the last symbols in place deciphering the code.

Just as he finished the jacket disappeared from the window, and the stone building itself seemed to stir. Guards filed out, followed by more official looking janissaries. Neji eyed the scene carefully, as a stagecoach pulled up towards the grand twenty eight step entrance of the government building.

"What's it say," Tenten pressed, looking over Neji's shoulder, a little more anxious than she cared to admit.

"Danger. New plan," he muttered glancing up at the veritable army of soldiers rapidly assembling in front of the court.

"What does he mean new plan?" Kiba grumbled under his breath. Neji tossed the charcoal aside and shoved the paper back into his pocket.

"Probably exactly what it sounds like. Whoever took Shikamaru knows we're here to. Apparently we can't just walk up to the courthouse now and defect," he spared a glance at Tenten, the girls eyebrows were pulled towards her eyes, her jawline set, obviously not pleased by this turn of events. The quiet buzz that had come from the janissary officers went quiet as the judge and a familiar looking blonde hair girl were the first to walk out the doors. Neji narrowed his eyes as he watched the figures head for the large ornately dressed red stagecoach.

It was Tenten that broke the silence.

"Looks like we've got our work cut out for us."


	7. Dangerous Company

**And we're back! Back with the longest chapter yet. I actually had to trim this one down quite a bit if you can believe that. I'm still not sure how I feel about this one, but hey, we all live and learn. Let me know what you think. A big thank you to all who reviewed, it really means a lot. Now, let's get on with the chapter, I hope you enjoy!**

Vratsa, Bulgaria, The Ottoman Empire, 1798

"If I could ask you a favor," Temari said, pausing to turn back towards the judge as the two slim janissary guards pushed Shikamaru inside the small stagecoach doors. "Go to the Drunken Siphai Inn and take custody of these two figures. They're travelling with this man as well, he may well be worth questioning. I'll send someone around for them once I reach Constantinople."

The judge took the small slip of browning parchment from Temari's fingers and flipped it open, the commander leaned over his shoulder as the pair began reading the descriptions of the 'murderous insurgents'.

" _Mercenary 1: Shabby black hair, face tattoos, foul smell, accompanied by enormous dog, looks like a derelict._

 _Mercenary 2: Long well kept black hair, white eyes, has an air of aristocratic superiority about him._

 _Mercenary 3: Large eyes, flamboyant green suit, very loud. If all else fails arrest the man with the largest eyebrows."_

"As you wish my lady," the judge responded, bowing his head politely. Temari returned the bow, placing her foot on the stagecoach steps while the guards climbed up beside the driver.

"Temari, one more thing." The girl paused and looked back at the judge, his eyebrows were bent and jawline firmly set; the normal melancholic expression gone. "I have no doubt that Osman's men will be dispersing soon. I don't know how safe the Bulgarian countryside is going to be, especially for one of your position. Be cautious, stick to the official paths, take the road down to Greece and head for Istanbul by water."

Temari frowned, but nodded just the same. She tried forcing one last smile at the group as she pulled herself inside, plopping down on the plush red velvet cushions as the stagecoach began to move at the snap of the reins. Her government friends had obviously been planning on sparing no expense when they insisted on giving her transportation. The infrastructure was less luxurious; the wheels shuddered as they jumped over ever crease and gap in the bumpy stone road.

Temari glanced across the surprisingly spacious interior towards the other seat where Shikamaru, feet chained to the floor, his hands now clasped in a pair of slightly less restrictive iron cuffs lay down on his seat fiddling with the strings on his jacket, apparently bored out of his mind.

"So what's the story behind you and that thing?" Temari asked, spying what must've been some kind of family crest embroidered on the back.

"Was my dad's, helps me sleep," Shikamaru answered curtly, glaring at the early morning rays seeping through the window behind him. He turned and opened the glass slightly before tucking the edge of the coat outside and pulling the whole thing shut again. His mission of limiting the amount of sunlight apparently accomplished he lay back down on his seat and promptly shut his eyes.

For a mercenary there were times, Temari had to admit when the man didn't seem so bad, and then there were times like this that he just seemed like a shiftless irredeemably lazy waste of space. She sighed inwardly, well he wasn't going anywhere with the keys still in the hands of the driver. Might as well take this time to catch up on a little sleep of her own.

From their vantage point, peaking around the corner of the cold rock wall Neji was able to spy the message, just barely visible over the head of a guard standing in his line of vision. Printed on the jacket were only two words, no codes, no fancy symbols, just plain unfiltered Japanese. He read the words just loud enough for his two companions to hear.

"Constantinople…run,"

With that, they were off, bolting back towards the inn as fast as their legs would carry them whilst the commander lazily turned towards his men and began rounding up a party to go corner their prey. Tenten's skin had gone pale, her eyes wide as they clambered quickly over the cobblestones.

"Does the name Constantinople mean anything to you?" Neji asked shortly. Tenten didn't bother turning her head as the group rounded a corner and headed towards the alleyway they'd found Shikamaru's katana in.

"It's only the largest city in the world this side of Beijing." She huffed as the group continued to run, dodging pedestrians and the occasional stray cat. "Tall buildings, bustling bazaars, definitely on my cities to see before I die list."

"We have to ditch the horses, they've probably already tied them to us," Neji said quickly as the inn came into view. The trio jumped the gate, landing right in front of the startled innkeeper who had returned to sweeping the entryway. Neji paused in front of the man as Kiba and Tenten dashed inside.

"Good sir, I did not expect to see you again so early," The man said, setting aside his broom cautiously, eyes probing Neji's expression for some form of trouble. Neji took some time deciphering the words, cursing the fact that he hadn't spent more time with Shikamaru's Turkish translation book as the innkeeper continued. "Is there something else you needed?"

"You seemed quite interested in the fine war horses we brought in." Neji spoke up almost automatically, his brain running on autopilot. At the mention of business the innkeeper's eyes twinkled, and Neji pressed on. "Just how interested would you be?"

* * *

"Diana! Wake the others, we're leaving," Tenten yelled throwing the door open and shaking the first figure by the door. A mop of fair blonde hair and a pair of tired droopy eyes looked up.

"Now?" she grumbled groggily, throwing herself out of cot and snatching the blade sheath from underneath the goose feather pillow. She elbowed the girl on the next cot over, still in somewhat of a daze as Tenten did the same with the other side of the room.

"Now!" Tenten affirmed before leaning her head out the door and screaming. "LEE GET A MOVE ON!"

It took about two seconds before Lee practically burst the flimsy wooden door down. He stepped quickly outside looking around wildly.

"Find us a way out back tortoise head, we suddenly have a deadline." Lee disappeared in a green blur as Tenten worked her way down the line of startled figures as quickly as she could. Some of the girls grabbed weapons as those rose, throwing on their clothes and firing of questions in panicked tones. Kiba peaked his head in and looked around.

"I still don't know if we've had the pleasure…" he began curiously eyeing the rooms 'décor'.

"How do they put up with you?"

"I actually get that question a lot." Kiba answered matter-a-factly, leaning up against the plaster wall as Tenten and Diana stood by the door, beginning to file their friends out.

"Whatever. This is Diana, Ala, Ai, Akko, Anna, Borte, Ko, Tume, Lun, O'hana, Lotte, Moge, Tolui, Cha'ana, Yesui, Absh, Dayfa, Theodora and Sucy." Tenten pushed the bodies by, one by one anxiously while Kiba watched the whirlwind of girls, heads of multi colored bed hair rushing past with delight, taking in the features of each one.

"Have I ever told you how glad I am to have you all travelling with us?" he asked with a grin as the last girl finished packing and rushed out the door.

"Can we do this some other time?" Tenten asked, her stressed face full of annoyance as the trio followed the trail of girls out back.

* * *

"I do hope you'll understand our sudden departure," Neji said, making his Turkish sound clipped and as proper as he possible as the man slid a sizeable old strapless brown satchel across the table.

"Of course my friend, pleasure doing business with you. Please, I will take no offense if you choose to make sure the payment is all there." The innkeeper smiled, fully satisfied at having suddenly acquired so many fine horses with minimal haggling. As Neji politely waved his hand, indicating he had trust in an honest transaction there was a loud bang out by the gate. The sound of frightened horses neighing could be heard inside as the innkeeper threw up his hands. "Oh, what now?"

"Hey! Hey! What do you think you're doing? Especially at this hour! You'll scare away all my customers." The innkeeper demanded, running out the door as he tried to talk with the decidedly uncooperative soldiers. Neji took that as his cue to leave as he slipped out the side door towards the kitchens. The group started running again, across the quaint steps of the mining town and off, eastwards, towards the mountains, plains and hopefully freedom.

* * *

The ancient woodland around Vratsa stretched for miles. Off of the main road only the occasional overgrown mining path gave one any sort of indication that the area was inhabited at all. Tall ancient looking oaks, growing near groves of wild fruit trees dotted the landscape, blocking the summer sun from falling on the group as they ran through the tall grass and shrub as fast as their feet would carry them.

In the distance, between the trunks of the trees a small hill surrounding an open plain clearing appeared. Slowly the foliage became less dense, a few large boulders began protruded from the ground and the trees became less and less frequent until finally the forest ended and a shepherd's field, a patch of grazing land came into view. Kiba and Tenten's hands instinctively found their way to their weapons as another figure burst from the foliage only to relax as soon as they recognized the meticulously kept black hair.

"We're clear," Neji affirmed, taking a look around the clearing, barely acknowledging the group's reunion. Tenten gave a massive gasp of relief, taking a breath and resting her hands on her knees.

"You pawned the horses then?" Kiba replied, placing his hands on his hips also trying to catch his breath. Behind him, a couple of the girls tossed themselves onto the ground exhausted.

"He was all to happy to oblige," Neji said, tossing his satchel to the ground. "The next order of business is to get to Constantinople."

"Right," Kiba nodded holding up the brown parchment map. "I think Shikamaru was adding in details since we got his hands on this thing. Like this city right here. How the heck would you pronounce that?"

"Sofia."

"Yeah, that it. If we head there we could blend in and cut towards…"

"No," Tenten interjected quickly, arms crossed. "Sofia is the provincial capital. By the end of the day it could be crawling with soldiers from the Vidin siege."

"This would be the fastest route…"

"Neji, I can only think of a handful of reasons why Shikamaru would've told us to not try and defect. None of them are good." Tenten snapped, as the others went quiet.

"I understand there's a danger…"

"You've told me that several times now," Tenten began curtly, her voice sounding wearied and thin. "But I seriously don't think you understand my situation. There's not just a danger, there is a big red target painted over all of our heads…Look you don't know what these people are like. You don't know what they've threatened to do to me…to my family."

"We're not exactly wallflowers over here Tenten," a voice from the crowd of girls spoke up. Beside the group Lee stood silently watching the events unfold, unsure of how to proceed.

"Diana, please, don't start" Tenten sighed placing a hand on her forehead. Neji turned towards her his own eyebrows pulled into a frown.

"You'd rather be decaying back in the kircali tent of decadence then?" he asked bluntly.

"No!" Tenten answered immediately, feeling Neji's steely gaze boring into her. She paused as she felt the rest of the gazes turning towards her. "No of course not…it's just."

"You don't trust us then," Neji stated, his response remarkably candid as always. Tenten felt a pain shoot through her chest. The thought had been on her mind all this time, a little nagging fear in the back of her head. It shouldn't have hurt to hear the fact thrown out into the open, especially considering the whole situation, but for some reason just hearing it out loud stung her.

"This whole thing really was a gamble from the start," she admitted with a sigh.

"Its fine. Though maybe we should rethink this whole thing…once we get to Constantinople." Neji said, his mood obviously soured by the whole discussion. No one spoke, no one seemed all that eager to cut on the spat that seemed to have suddenly developed.

"You should've thought it over long before then," a dry humorless voice suddenly cut in from above. Heads turned towards the top of the hill as three figures, all aiming the barrels of their guns down at the assembled company appeared with the sun at their backs. Everyone's hands fell towards their weapons; Diana and Lee stepped in front of the vulnerable members of the group while Akamaru growled defiantly. Neji was the first one to make out the figures.

"Sasori," he glared, hand falling towards his blade.

"What's he doing here?" Diana asked, her face sharing Neji's glare as she and Lee tried to subtly guide the girls back towards the line of trees.

"Sasori…of the Red Sand." Tenten breathed, thumbing the throwing knives in her bag as she looked up at the emotionless brigand.

"I thought you just met the guy," Kiba grunted, keeping a very close eye on just where the gun barrels were positioned. Neji glanced over, only the armed girls seemed to be moving, the others had their feet planted in the ground, like wild animals staring down the bow of a hunter, frozen with fear.

"They tell stories," Diana whispered. "He control the black market across half the continent. Rebellion, assassination, blood feuds, if a gun was used chances are he's had a hand in it."

Sasori shrugged, apparently unperturbed by his less than savory reputation. Beside him his cloaked bodyguards stood motionlessly, like statues, their guns raised.

"Desertion was always a problem amongst mercenaries until I began hunting them down myself. I guess you weren't entirely aware of my reputation, my mistake. Like any good businessman, I have to take care of my assets…" with the last word Tenten and Neji spied Sasori's trigger finger begin to twitch. Panic took over as Tenten slipped the battle rifle from her back and drew the barrel up level with her eyes.

"Move!" Neji shouted turning around and forcing the others back towards the woods as all hands met their triggers. Their was a clap like thunder as the guns fired in near unison, the smell of sulfur and niter permeating through the air. For a split second the air around Sasori and his companions was obscured by the smoke from their flintlocks, in that moment, Tenten spun on her heels and headed after the others.

"I missed," Neji heard her mutter in astonishment as they headed for the forest. Behind them Sasori and his bodyguards advanced slowly.

"We have the numbers, we can fight them off…" Lee began, his tone startled, but still confident. There was another violent crack, then another, and another. A particularly large tree limb cracked above them and came shooting down to earth. In one swift move Lee snatched two girls out of harms way, as the limb crashed in front of them before urging them forward once again. He took a brief look back at the three figures now at the bottom of the hill, still maneuvering their way through the natural debris, guns raised.

"With a handful of swords and a couple bows in the face of all those guns? All we would be doing is give them more targets to shoot at." Kiba yelled back above the crashing of gunfire. "How are they even reloading so fast? It should be taking them at least half a minute, minimum."

Bullets split the air above as Neji dived behind a rock, quickly unsheathing his sword and surveying the situation.

"We need a distraction or else this is just going to become a prolonged hunt for them." He motioned towards the girls "Just get them out of here, Kiba and I will hold them off."

Diana looked uncertain, briefly considering trying to get a shot off with her bow until Lee took her hand, shook his head and pulled her off towards the way they'd come. Kiba nodded, taking up his claws and disappearing with Akamaru into uncharted forest to their right. Tenten had bolted, barely pausing to pick up the girls who had stumbled over the bulbous tree roots or lost their footing on the sodden summer ground. When she was sure that everyone was present she'd left the scene without a second thought.

As they ran the sounds of battle grew more and more distant. A few of the girls stopped, breathing heavily, unable to run anymore. Lee, Diana and Tenten paused to try and urge them on. At this pause Tenten looked back behind her, at the now vast and dense woodland forests where only the echoes of gunfire could be heard.

"I can't do this." She said suddenly, turning back. The others looked at her as if her words hadn't registered in their brains. Lee wore a curious frown as he helped one of the tired girls on his back. Tenten looked back and forth between the small group, her eyes gradually steeling themselves, a confident look gracing her features. She dropped the now empty gun from her hands and pulled the throwing knives from her bag. "I'm going back,"

"He said to get everyone out," Lee replied, as he and Diana traded anxious looks. Tenten didn't look like she was listening. She rummaged through her bag, making sure her weapons were in order.

"I just left them back there," she said bitterly, inspecting the last of her knives and sliding them back into her bag. She glanced back up. "They stayed while at the first sign of trouble I run for my life."

"Tenten, no one will call you a coward if you run. If these people are already on our trail…" Diana began.

"Living life running all the time feels a lot like living with chains still on my wrists. I don't feel like leaving just yet." Tenten spoke up quickly, her lips forming a brief, smile. She gave the two a nod, leaving the girls to them before bounding away, back into the firefight.

"If you could've even waited one more day you wouldn't be in this mess. The sultan dropped a full pardon into our laps. Instead some of my mercenaries take off with every last one of a kircali's entire bondsman troop. I recall telling you not to get involved with them didn't I?" Sasori asked, not even flinching as Neji dashed between cover. His blank eyes followed the white blur, hand pulling off potshots when he could.

Sasori's bodyguard suddenly turned and aimed his gun at the clearing behind the triad. It held its focus until Sasori snapped his fingers. The figure swiveled around and the three unloaded their guns on the rock Neji had chosen to take cover behind, sending bits of stone flying through the thick smoky air.

"Then of course who does that upstart bandit chieftain start making demands of when he wakes up to find his camp burning down and his slaves gone?" Sasori asked, giving them only a brief pause to hear his rant before they let loose another volley.

Ducking out of the woods the way he came, Kiba rolled up behind the rock with Akamaru and shook his head gravely.

"I'm going to shoot you for desertion, haul every last one of you back in front of the kircali, cut off your hands for theft, and flay you alive to make an example of you all."

"What's he even yelling about?"

"Something about skinning us alive," Neji replied coldly.

"Seems a bit excessive." Kiba couldn't help but mutter. He turned towards Neji and whispered. "There's no way I could flank them. It's like those two freaks he has for bodyguards have eyes in the back of their heads."

There was a lull in the fighting. Neji and Kiba traded glances, silently weighing their options. Kiba peaked his head around the corner to try and asses the situation. Instantly he recognized his mistake, one of the bodyguards had its flintlock leveled straight at his head.

Three blades whirled through the air. The bodyguard lowered its weapon and swiftly stepped in front of Sasori, the blades sinking into the brown hide coat. Kiba ducked his head back down as he and Neji turned towards the figure who had darted in and now kneeled behind a sturdy looking oak not ten feet away.

"I told you to get out of here!" Neji demanded as a sudden round of gunfire shattered the front of Tenten's cover, sending wood chips and splinters into the air.

"No, this is my your mess as much as it is mine," Tenten demanded quickly. She fished another set of throwing knives out of her side pouch and slid them between her fingers. "We'll clean it up, all of us."

"We're in this together then," Neji said. The two locked eyes and nodded, a mutual understanding finally developing. "What are we looking at there?"

"Those are triple barreled flintlocks, they can fire three shots before they need to reload and they're most likely carrying a lot of them." Tenten said automatically.

"Consensus?"

"…Please tell me those stories about Samurai being able to cut bullets out of mid air are true."

"A gross exaggeration of our abilities I'm afraid." Neji replied. These bullets certainly seemed slower than the ones the Imperials had been using at Vidin, a whole lot less accurate as well. Still, he didn't like the idea of trying to block an object his eyes could barely track.

"I don't like those two beside him," Kiba offered suddenly, sniffing the air. "They just smell wrong,"

"They're covering his blind spots," Neji agreed, remembering Kiba's failed flanking maneuver.

Tenten snapped her fingers suddenly as all three came to the same idea at once. "If we can just separate those two….things away from him we might stand a chance. We just need a distraction…"

"I really do hate to use such an unrefined weapon," Sasori cut in to their planning suddenly. Without looking he turned an outstretched palm towards one of his bodyguards. The silent figure reached into its pack and pulled out a black cast iron ball with a damp wick four inches long protruding from the top. "Especially one made by my idiotic colleague, but if all you do is keep hiding like rodents."

Tenten heard the sparkling and hissing of a lit fuse, the subconscious grunt the body made when hefting a heavy object when suddenly the smell of oil struck her nose. It all reminded her of one thing.

"Grenade! Move!" she yelled diving away from the oak as a giant fireball enveloped the area between the group. The mighty tree began to creak and groan as its ancient trunk came crashing down towards the ground. Kiba and Neji looked up dazed, having rolled out of the way just in time to see a piece of stone shrapnel wiz past their heads.

"Grenades are real things? I thought they just existed in cartoons." Kiba shouted as the group took the time to link up in the smoke the bomb had left behind.

"Cartoons?" Neji asked incredulously as they dashed about looking for new cover.

"Yeah, you know those little sketches you could find in those military manuals?" Kiba continued as another grenade whizzed overhead. There was a desperate scramble for cover once again, diving for ditches, behind trees and boulders and rushing to plug the ears before the next devastating blast took place.

"Why on Earth would you think those didn't exist?" Tenten shouted, half sure she was now deaf from the whole experience.

"Hey, I don't know if either of you two military geniuses have picked this up yet… I can't read Japanese!" the group began scrambling once again as the sound of another ten-pound ball went whooshing through the air. "We're running out of room here, and if he we try to pull back we're likely to get shot to pieces."

"We have to split up. I'm going to make a move, use that time to fade into cover," Neji demanded quickly turning to Tenten's quarrelsome looking expression and lifting his pointer finger at her face for emphasis. "No time to argue."

Neji bolted out from behind the tree, having left his sandals behind him as he eyed the latest bomb in the sky. He jumped onto the still elevated remains of a hardy old tree trunk and promptly cut the still burning wick from its container. Beneath him Tenten and Kiba dashed off to the right while Sasori watched the feat of athleticism with what was the first look of enjoyment Neji had ever seen on the mans face. The bomb landed with a dull thud and Neji followed soon after quickly lifting his sword.

He'd heard the snap of the trigger, the sound of the flint striking the metal and the crack as the resulting spark ignited the powder in the gun. He raised his sword instinctively unable to track the bullet, only able to give it his best guess. The bullet struck the katana just above the hilt, with just enough force to throw it from Neji's disoriented hands. The blade spun away and clattered onto the ground.

"Impressive, most impressive," Sasori chortled, taking far to much enjoyment from this sudden development. With a snap of his fingers one of the bodyguards dashed from his side, a curved cutlass flying into its hand.

"Neji!" Tenten shouted, watching the armed figure close in on him.

"Don't worry, Neji's not really a swordsman anyways." Kiba said, placing a hand on her shoulder as he looked around, trying to figure out the best way to flank the final two.

"What do you mean? He's a samurai isn't he?" Tenten asked, mouth agape.

"Yeah, but he's also a Hyuga." Kiba replied. It was his turn to smile briefly. He motioned to a good distant flanking position before turning his head and continued with confidence. "And the Hyuga clan is best known for one thing. Hand to hand combat."

Neji stepped back as the cutlass swung dangerously close to his face. It was a wild chancy strike, or it would've been if he'd been armed, clearly his opponent considered him easy prey. Neji waited, taking another step back as the figure reoriented his blade and stabbed forward, aiming to piece his heart. Neji gracefully brushed the arm aside and with a quick step slammed an open palm into the figures chest. Checkmate.

Sasori watched, almost in shock as the white-eyed martial artist speedily connected blow after blow. From his vantage point they looked like glancing strikes, but there must've been something more, because his bodyguard hadn't moved since the first smack to the chest. Now thoroughly annoyed he and the other guard raised their guns and aimed them squarely at Neji's head.

"Duck!"

Another knife aimed for Sasori flew through the air, whizzing past Neji and the now immobile bodyguard. The other guard turned and quickly tried to step forward, only to suddenly collapse as Kiba, emerging from his flank tore his claws through the figures face. Without stopping to look at the damage Kiba rushed for Sasori who had quickly sidestepped the thrown knives. As he turned Akamaru jumped up behind the him, growling and baring his fangs.

Sasori ducked as soon as Kiba stabbed forward, grasping his wrist with one hand and the upper arm with his other. With one mighty throw he turned and launched the attacker towards his canine companion, sending them both sprawling onto the ground dazed.

Neji was almost on top of him now. Sensing danger Sasori stepped aside once again letting the Hyuga swerve past him. He reached into his coat and drew a second gun, aiming one towards Neji and the other towards Tenten who'd stopped short over the body of his first guard.

Sasori's face, though empty and almost expressionless still managed to look somewhat triumphant, even almost sadistic as he stopped for a minute to bask in his accomplishment of finally having cornered the two. Neji could do little but glare back, praying he would be accurate enough to predict the inevitable gunshot.

Two sounds filled the air almost at once. Sasori's head quickly turned to see the bag his bodyguard had been pulling grenades from flying overhead, a trail of powder following its arc. The second sound sent chills down everyone's spine, flint cracking against metal, igniting the powder trail.

"Move!" Tenten shouted.

Neji didn't have to be told twice, bolting away from Sasori as quickly as his feet would take him. Kiba and Akamaru, having gathered their bearings followed his example and ran for their lives while Tenten ducked back into the forest leaving only Sasori to try to furiously comprehend the new situation he'd found himself in. The triumph in his face was gone, replaced by disgruntled, cold recognition of his condition.

"Congratulations…" he muttered as the flames reached the bag.

The resulting explosion rocked the earth, an enormous plume of fire and smoke erupted at the base of the hill, scorching the land. The mercenaries ducked for cover, as waves of heat from the eruption washed over them, the ground trembling beneath their feat as the grenades continued exploding in quick succession.

The blasts finally subsided as three separate heads peaked out from behind their cover to witness the smoldering remains of Sasori crumble to the ground. Breathing a sigh of relief Tenten promptly threw herself to the group, and closed her eyes, an exhausted but satisfied look on her face. Neji looked down as he strolled over, briefly glimpsing the charred area he'd stood a minute earlier. He glanced down at Tenten before dropping beside her.

"How'd you pull that one off?" he asked casually, sounding far more composed than someone who'd just escaped having his hair singed off.

"I figured the grenades had to be made of cast iron otherwise they wouldn't get the kind of explosion they did, and cast iron is just brittle enough to break," Tenten responded as the two lay side by side, exhausted. She breathed another satisfied sigh. In the distance Kiba picked himself up and let loose a wild war yell, Akamaru joining in before Kiba collapsed on his back laughing in relief.

"Hey," Neji began quietly, "About what we said earlier."

"Don't mention it." Tenten yawned. "You said it yourself. We're in this together. Whatever happens will."


	8. Those Who Rule the Waves

**From the longest chapter yet to the shortest. I realize the pace might be starting to feel glacially slow and for that I apologize. I just felt we were finally due for a good character focused ShikaTema chapter. Next time the story picks back up. As always, a big thank you to the reviewers and I hope you all enjoy!**

Kavala, Greece, The Ottoman Empire, 1798

Shikamaru stared blankly out from his perch atop a stonewall that overlooked the Mediterranean. From this vantage point the ancient sea was one endlessly calm blanket of blue with only one distant island, its high peaks yawning up from the water visible on the endless horizon. The city of Kavala lay guarded, in the north by the mountains that permeated this ancient region of the world, and in the south by its placement. The city harbor was a natural cove, bottled between the stretch of curving Greek coastline in the west and a small protrusion of land not a mile long in the east.

This small protrusion, the hill of Panagia had long been the natural fortification spot for the great powers of yore. The castle ramparts built and fortified by the Romans, expanded and reinforced by the Ottomans stood casting a watchful gaze over the town and the sea. Below those buildings, near the base of the hill lay another set of fortified walls that stood above the bustle of the cities merchants and traders. It was from this vantage point that Shikamaru sat and stared, hands still chained, basking in the summer sun and cool sea breeze that made for a perfectly balmy afternoon.

Greece was nice, he decided watching a singular lazy cloud float through the endless ocean of sky. Anything was preferable to travelling in that stuffy hot stagecoach, but still he could get used to more days like this.

"You little punks!"

The noise on the other hand, now that was the one thing mucking up his perfectly agreeable bout of cloud watching. The whole city was like that.

Whether it was the sounds of the sounds of the bickering merchants, clamoring to get their boats into the harbor, their vessels loaded down with goods from Crete, Cyprus and across the Mediterranean, the old women gossiping in the narrow city alleyways and from across the balconies of the rich two storied villas…

"Do any of you two bit hoodlums know what you're doing?

Or the sound of a four-foot long piece of Damascus steel breaking a few ribs, the noise was definitely something he could've done without. A hand grabbed him by the collar, snatching his away from his seaside view, and from the blade of a curved saber that fell past his face, missing his nose by mere inches. Temari threw him backwards whilst taking a swipe at her opponent's head.

"Oh we certainly do. You've made quite a name for yourself, Temari," a crowd of brightly dressed sailors had gathered, all sporting colorful baggy trousers and small vests. Each held an axe or scimitar while a few had flintlocks strapped to their belts. They hovered around the group menacingly. "Egyptian imperialist stooge."

A tall man stepped forward, making sure his small white turban was firmly in place before stretching his arms and rolling his shoulders back and forth as if getting ready to do some hard work. He pulled out his scimitar and waved it dangerously at Temari, a manic looking toothless grin on his face.

"His first move is a feint," Shikamaru spoke up from behind her.

"I keep forgetting you speak Arabic," Temari said without turning around. She eyed her opponent and gripped her weapon with both hands. "What makes you so sure?"

"Look at him, he's pretending to be left handed even after we saw him pull it from his belt. The odds say he's trying to be clever, and more often than not the first move is always a feint."

The large sword hovered overhead flying downwards before stopping short. The mans second hand took hold of the blade handle and tried to bring it sideways, but before he could the butt of Temari's weapon had nailed him squarely in the face. The crowd went silent as their eyes watched the large figure collapse onto the ground. As soon as their eyes found their way back up Temari was already on top of them, her massive steel cudgel battering men aside left and right. One of the men drew his flintlocks only to scream as Temari came down hard, knocking the weapon clean out of his hand with her steel club.

"You're really going to take them all on by yourself?" Shikamaru asked as the large crowd began to gather their bearings. He turned to his right, the two guards who'd accompanied them from Bulgaria lay unconscious on the ground from two swift blows to the back of the head. Temari retreated backwards, surveying the surly faces that stared sorely out from behind their weapons. She looked over her shoulder, and fished a key out of her pocket before tossing it back towards him.

"You're right. Consider yourself drafted," she said humorlessly, placing a foot on the fallen giants scimitar and sending it clattering backwards with her foot. With a click of the key Shikamaru's chains fell to the ground. He bent forwards and picked up the blade, waving it through the air a few times to get a feel for the heavy blade as Temari spoke up again. "Of course if you try to run or stab me in the back I will kill you."

"Wow, I just can't believe my luck," he drawled sarcastically, (an apparent talent of his) as he strolled forwards, tapping the blunt end of the blade against his shoulder. He walked up alongside her and took up a combat stance.

"Geez, staring down this group and your still this argumentative?" Temari asked as the crowd of goons began to look more and more nervous.

"No, arguing is something girls do," Shikamaru grumbled, as the pairs eyes swept the disorganized mob, battle strategies and attack patterns forming in their minds. He and Temari spared each other a brief glance. "Guess you just bring out the worst in me."

Temari almost snorted…almost. A flintlock appeared out of the crowd and Temari quickly hefted her weapon, taking it by the front and unfurling it to reveal a thick folded animal hide. Smoke filled the air as the gun went off with a crack and the bullet spiraled through the air. Yet, Temari had more than enough time to react, with speed that came from years of training she raised the heavy fan in front of the pair, letting the bullet snap harmlessly off the hide. The duo quickly closed in on the group, stepping in and knocking the men aside.

"A fan? Really?" Shikamaru asked blankly as he beat a man across the head with the dull end of his blade. Temari folded her weapon back up and shoved it into her opponent's chest, stepping back to survey the space they'd cleared around them.

"Shut up and fight," she returned, a smile on her face this time. The crowd began to encircle them once again. They were holding their distance nervously, but it was still painfully apparent who had the numbers advantage. Still, the smug look on Temari's face failed to subside. "Honestly, you're not too bad with that thing, ready for round two?"

Suddenly, gunshots filled the air. The crowd looked around startled as the sound of heavy boots against the ground echoed from the walls of the fortress. Heels clapping in step with one another were heard as a body of soldiers came into view, around the corner of the castle walls.

"More foreigners, imperialists," one of the brigands grumbled as the group began to turn tail and run, scattering in all directions like frightened mice at the sound of the continual gunshots. The brightly colored soldiers refused to break ranks, and the few men who turned their flintlocks on the sudden arrivals were quickly cut down.

"Reinforcements my lady," a voice spoke up suddenly by Temari. The woman pulled her eyes away from the new comers and looked at the source of the voice. It was their stagecoach driver, the one she'd sent off to find help as soon as trouble had started brewing.

"Um, very good. Though they're not quite the ones that I was expecting," Temari said eyeing the soldiers. They were military obviously, but their appearance was decidedly foreign. Each one of them wore a dashing bright red coat over a set of tight grey shirts and pants. They started and stopped in unison, each one sporting hair tied back into a small ponytail, their broad rimmed dark blue triangular hats standing immaculately on their heads.

"Perhaps I am overstepping my bounds, but to be perfectly honest. I'm long past the point of caring." The leader of the band said in clipped Turkish stepping forward as his troops marched forward to guard against further attack.

"Redcoats, British soldiers," Shikamaru mumbled in Arabic eyeing the approaching man carefully. Temari looked at him surprised as she whispered back.

"British? You know them?"

"From Deccan," Shikamaru shrugged recalling his journeys through India and brush with "the company". He dropped his sword on the ground as the captain stepped forwards.

"I am Captain Hood of the HMS _Zealous,_ His Majesty's Naval Service. We responded to a request for help, I assume I am addressing the distressed party?"

"Temari of Egypt, eldest daughter and child of Rasa the Sand Shadow, great granddaughter of Reto, Mamluk." Temari answered, clasping her hands together and bowing from the waist in greeting. The Captains face went from stern to delighted.

"Ah, a member of the Egyptian nobility then? What splendid luck. Your assistance would be most appreciated." Shikamaru eyed the Captain curiously as his attitude towards Temari suddenly turned perfectly amiable.

"You're out here hunting for…," Temari began shortly, putting the pieces together.

"For Napoleon yes," the Captain replied quickly, his voice quieter. "I was assigned to patrol the waters here before heading down south to meet up with Rear Admiral Horatio Nelson."

"I'm just a little surprised that you showed up instead of the governors troops. These thugs are filtering in from the rebellion up north, and they don't have much love for anyone wielding the authority of the Sultanate. Though this development is not unwelcome," Temari responded with another bow of her head. Shikamaru blinked at her aristocratic language and response. That title of "my lady," everyone had been addressing her with was beginning to make sense. Still it was strange watching this battle hardened soldier suddenly turn so…posh and polite.

"Well you have your bondservant to thank for that. He made excellent time…I assume he is your bondservant. That practice is still legal out here?"

"…Oh you mean the corporal. No he is an enlisted man." Temari said with a polite smile. The Captains face turned a slight shade of red as he nodded genially towards the figure.

"Oh of course of course. I apologize, you men truly are the backbone of the service. As are your guards who I'm sure will be in fine condition once they come to. As well as your valiant…bodyguard, companion…lover…" he let the phrase trail off coyly as his blue eyes turned back towards Temari.

"Oh he's nothing of the sort," Temari said quickly, the smile still on her face as she grabbed Shikamaru by the shoulder. "This is a rebel mercenary from outside the empire. I'm heading to Constantinople to get permission from the Sultan to have him and his ilk legally tried in a local court of law."

"Constantinople! Ah, excellent, we're headed there as well. Please, allow us to escort you there." The Captain pressed, extending his hand towards Temari. The woman almost smirked as she looked at the gentleman's outstretched palm. Shikamaru looked on annoyingly as she all but tossed him into the hands of the waiting redcoat guards. "Any information you could give us about the French would be most helpful in expelling the French."

Temari looked like she was going to laugh, before she bowed again and took his hand. The Captain smiled as the pair began to stroll over the stone steps of the high walls and off down towards the docks, probably to talk about like the weather, the effects of starch on the latest military uniforms or something equally inane Shikamaru guessed.

"Women," he grumbled as the Redcoat guards shrugged sympathetically and slapped a new set of chains on him. "What a pain."

* * *

"So that blonde girlfriend of yours," the voice was fast and heavily accented. Languages came naturally to Shikamaru, but something about this voice forced him to actively work to decode what the man was saying. It was nasally, like the sound of one of his bored drawls, yet it moved by so quickly that it was hard to grasp.

"What about her," Shikamaru replied swiftly, apparently unperturbed.

He let his legs out of the openings on the railing of the boat as he turned his face back towards the sea. The HMS _Zealous_ was, he had to admit, an enormous ship, larger than any he'd ever seen; a "ship of the line," they'd called it. As long as a three of the ships he'd seen at Vidin and as tall as a castle, it was a veritable floating fortress in itself. Only an incredibly gutsy man would've jumped off a ship this size.

"Yeah, whatever mate. You seriously ok with her up with the Cap'n alone then?" the sailor said with a cheeky smile, taking off his red coat and sitting down on the steps of the deck that led to the helm. Above the enormous white cloud like sails billowed beneath the red and white stripes of the Union Jack.

"If you're so interested why don't you give it a shot?" Shikamaru replied shortly with a yawn.

"A classy exotic girl like her?" another nasally sounding soldier piped up as he walked across the deck, mop and bucket in hand.

"With a greasy Liverpool chap like our Paul over 'ere?" a second chimed in, descending from the netting around the mast.

"Ya, never happen," the first man said settling for the same cheeky grin as he leaned back on the steps. "B'sides, she sounds like a member of the nobility and all that. Don't give me that kind of responsibility, I don't want it. Don't think I could deal with women like her."

"How much longer until we get there?" Shikamaru asked snappily, staring out across the sea, watching the rolling of the waves.

"What's your hurry?" the British voice chuckled back.

"Something about the company rubs me the wrong way."

"Well we're headed towards Constantinople, that's a full twenty-four hours with a good wind right there." He paused to take in Shikamaru's annoyed look before holding his arms out open and chortling merrily. "Welcome to a day in the life."

"You there! Stop slacking!" a voice boomed in English. Shikamaru turned his head, unable to completely decipher the words, though they didn't sound friendly. The sailor bolted from the steps and fled towards his deck duties as fast as his feet would take him. The Captain and Temari had emerged from the cabin after a long discussion of tactics and travels. Captain Hood gave Temari a polite, "You have the run of the ship."

Temari watched the Captain return to strolling across the deck, angrily barking orders to the crew before turning her gaze back towards Shikamaru's back.

"Just be glad we're allowing you up here on the deck instead of shoving you down in the brig." she stated. Shikamaru turned to look back at her, his even more languid than usual expression crossing his already sullen features. Temari's eyes must've jumped a little at his thoroughly cross gaze. Shikamaru just shrugged and turned back towards the waves. Temari glared at his back and crossed her arms before muttering to herself in confusion. "Men."


	9. Queen of Cities

**And we're back! The updates may start coming a bit slower considering the upcoming academic year, but I'll try my best to keep getting chapters out. Not much to add, just a big thank you to all who reviewed and I hope you enjoy!**

Constantinople, The Ottoman Empire, 1798

Its often been said that there are two ways to approach Constantinople. The first approach is by sea, the Ottoman way. When one approaches the Bosphorus strait, which separates the last gardens and hills of the European continent from the mysterious lands of Asia the dark waters of the Mediterranean transform into the calm crystal blue of the Sea of Marmara. At the entrance of this strait lies the oldest of the worlds standing metropolises', a symbol of Imperial grandeur sitting atop the seven legendary hills which the city was founded upon.

The skyline appeared at the edge of the sea. Overhead the suns early morning rays glittered off the golden palace domes and caused the surrounding waters to glimmer invitingly like gemstones. Seagulls called overhead, diving towards the water to peck at the wild schools of red mullet that danced and jumped out of the water in the distance. As the ship neared the port Shikamaru began to understand the excitement aboard the ship. Young sailors rushed towards the deck rails to get a better view of the city, the London natives arguing with their comrades over which city was bigger.

"Ever seen anything like it?" Temari asked quietly, strolling up alongside him and watching the city shine in the sunlight. She crossed her arms and smiled proudly as the clamor of the capitals fishermen and endless fleets of merchant ships became audible.

Down in the water several wooden skiffs rowed up alongside the massive frigate, escorting it towards an anchorage point in the cities ancient harbor. A translator began hollering over the deck in Turkish, arguing with the harbor employee about destinations, permits and docking fees.

"I've been to Beijing so…yes," Temari rolled her eyes at the response, deciding to focus instead on the Union Jack making its way up the mainmast.

"You know, in the olden days your kind would be pulled through the streets in stocks," Temari quipped as the ship headed into port, the ships translator and dockworkers having finished their discussion.

"In the olden days samurai didn't have to wander the world looking for work, so I guess we'd both have been happier," Shikamaru drawled as sailors rushed over the deck drawing the white cotton sails and dropping the anchor.

"Take the fun right out of why don't you?" Temari muttered back in a hushed tone as the captains cabin door swung open. Still dressed in his smart red uniform the British captain swaggered onto the deck as the sailors assembled and saluted. He turned swiftly towards Temari and bowed his head politely, a gesture which Temari returned with stiff politeness. "You're sure you don't wish to accompany us Captain Hood?"

"Wishing, but not able Lady Temari," he replied, the genial smile still on his face. He let out a short disappointed sigh looking across the deck of his ship. "As usual there is business to take care of as we dock. Are you sure you don't require an escort?"

Temari turned to look at Shikamaru as the two Turkish guards who'd accompanied them dragged the lazy looking Samurai to his feet once again. She turned back towards the Captain and smiled once more.

"We shall survive. Heaven forbid that we be mugged in our empires own capital, and I'm sure I can handle this one on my lonesome."

"What strange bedfellows does war make for," Captain Hood nodded, eyeing Shikamaru's tired expression and droopy eyes angrily like a dog trying to defend his territory. Temari smirked, breaking her aristocratic attitude as she turned towards the docking ramp.

"I could say the same for our relations with the English," she called back "Give it five years, we'll be back at war once again."

The harbor of Constantinople was crowded with more men and animals than Shikamaru had seen in a long time. The harbor ground stretched for miles into the distance and the waters teemed with life. The smells of old fish and foreign spices mingled in the air while the sounds of baying cattle and angry merchants filled his ears. The crowd soon became so thick that the group came to a standstill. Frustrated Temari turned back towards the two guards.

"Well, clear us a path," she demanded. The two provincial types traded nervous looks with each other, their faces looked flushed, almost dizzy from the cities sheer assault on their senses. Exasperated, Temari turned back to the crowd and began physical pushing men out of her way, shouting all the while. "Move it! Imperial business! Prisoner transfer coming through."

"You seem tense," Shikamaru called from behind her, just loud enough to be audible amongst the din of the harbor.

"You have no idea," Temari droned back, sounding tired. "…This is going to be a nightmare."

* * *

For those who find the Byzantine past to hold more mystery than the Ottoman legacy, the city of Constantinople must be approached by land. A good millennium before the Turkish conquerors had paraded proudly through the streets the ancient city had been the crown jewel of the Roman Empire. Those ancient walls which deterred so many barbarian tribes before and which had been defended so stoutly still stood proudly. Though covered by vines and bushes, a marriage, a fusion between the ancient architecture and earth had sprung forth. The solemn tradition of the ancient empires still remained, complimented by the carefree spirits of the natural world.

"This is it!" Speaking of carefree spirits. "The long walls! I've heard about the final defense of the city in 1453, the Genoese debuted their new steel bolted crossbowmen here. Of course no matter what the era it must've been like target practice from up there. Put an experienced bowman up there and they'd be picking off targets no problem."

Sleep had been the troupes chief activity for their entire journey. Exhausted from battle, all night riding and the continuous running, as soon as they'd acquired what turned out to be a veritable caravan of stagecoaches most of the party had chosen to sack out as soon as possible. Finally rested, Tenten had taken to sitting cross legged on the roof of the stagecoach sharpening her weapons and gushing about the military landmarks passing her by.

"Tenten," Neji spoke up as the final stagecoach came to a halt outside of the walls bustling checkpoint. The girl barely noticed as she craned her neck up to get a look at the high walls, pulling back an imaginary bow trying to get recapture the essence of some ancient siege.

"Of course we're going to have to see the view from across the Bosphrus, where they debuted Orban's famous Bombard Canon. They said it was so large that it took fifteen people just to lift the cannon ball and it could only be fired every five hours."

"Tenten."

"Hey man she's on a roll," Kiba snickered as he watched the passerby's cautiously. Beside the group an impatient looking official tapped a brown sandal against the ground grumpily.

"There are a few things that get her this…excited," Lee explained turning towards Neji. The sound of wind passing through the Hyuga's nose was heard. Lee wasn't sure if it was a sign of amusement or annoyance. Neji drew his blade an inch from its sheath, letting the sound of metal sliding across the scabbard pierce the air.

"Hmm?" Instantly, Tenten looked back down from the roof, drawn by the sound of a weapon. A few in the group chuckled.

"I need your help here," Neji explained, resisting the urge to smile. "Diana's still asleep and there's no way my Turkish is going to be good enough to get us past."

"Yeah, you don't look the part either. Alright, you'll be a great nobleman from the East," Tenten agreed, jumping down from the roof and making a showy bow in Neji's direction. "And I'll be the interpreter."

"Your easiest role ever," Kiba snickered towards Neji. The Hyuga rolled his eyes as the pair turned back towards the impatient looking customs official.

"His lordship wishes to be granted access to the city," Tenten said, as fancifully as she could. The official muttered something under his breath and extended his hand.

"Passes?"

Everyone in the look traded glances before Lee fished out a series of letters from the pouch on his hip. He passed them to Tenten who handed them to the official with a bow and every mock formality she could think of. Kiba turned away and bit his tongue to keep from laughing while even Neji raised a sleeve in front of his mouth to hide a goofy looking grin.

"His lordship has received a letter of introduction from the governor of the Thracian gates," Tenten announced as the irritated looking official snapped the letters up and scanned them carefully.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me," he muttered as his eyes swept the black ink. He turned back towards the group, his face thoroughly irked. "Another bribe?"

"What else is new?" Tenten asked with a shrug. Without proper travel documents it had taken a liberal amount of coin to convince the custom patrols to look the other way.

"This empire is headed to hell in a hand basket." The official muttered handing the letters back as Tenten graciously slid a few gold pieces into his hand. He scoffed as he turned around and waved towards the gate guards. "All clear. Now get out of here."

"Should you really be antagonizing him man like that?" Neji asked as the group filed out of the stagecoaches. With a wave the drivers turned their horses around and began heading back towards the many smaller towns on the plains outside of the city.

"Lighten up," Tenten said and she and Kiba began snickering again. She poked Neji in the ribs as they approached the massive stone gateways. The grin appeared again, just visible on the edges of Neji's lips. Tenten smiled at him again. "There you go. C'mon we're in Constantinople, capital of the world! You don't get a chance like this every day!"

"Focus, remember what we're hear for. Shikamaru?" Neji reminded her as they stepped aside and watched the girls file past them. Tenten nodded as a sleepy looking Diana brought up the rear. She gave the girl a pat on the back as they walked the rest of the way through the walls and inside Constantinople.

Kiba swore again in his foreign tongue as they stepped inside the castle walls. Tenten's ears perked up, looking at him curiously. Kiba's eye narrowed as he stared out across the urban expanse. "No way…no freakin way."

"Keep calm," Neji reminded him.

"Calm?" Kiba almost shouted, gesturing towards the endless horizon and drawing looks from passersby. "How am I going to stay calm here? I can't even see where the city ends! This is going to be like finding that needle in your family's mansion. Nigh impossible."

"Yeah, but this time we have help," Neji sighed. The pair turned to look expectantly at Tenten and Lee. The second pair looked back blankly before Tenten raised her hands.

"…Well now that you mention it."

* * *

"And so these men at arms continue to flood into the realm daily. Oh Sultan, in this trying time I ask that you intercede and give me permission to try these men as the criminals they are," Temari ended, down on one knee, head bowed as she pleaded her case to the Emperor in front of her.

Selim the Third, the 28th Sultan crossed his hands, glittering rings with precious stones sparkling on his fingers. Slowly he extended a hand and bid her to rise. Almost immediately there was a whirl of commotion around the throne room. Men strode out on the fine polished white marble floors, under the high golden archways of the palace throne room, bowing before the Sultan and pleading their case all at once.

"My liege, as we speak Napoleon Bonaparte sweeps across Egypt like a plague of locust. If the Syrian fortresses should fall then nothing stands in his way from marching back to Paris through Constantinople itself!"

"The help of the British is all the more imperative, we may rout the French and curb the excesses of the provincials. Sultan I beg you to…

"Ally the heathen? Find friends amongst the Austrians? O Sultan perhaps next these traitors will tell us we are to form an alliance with the Russians who still snap like hungry dogs at our border provinces."

"Leave these to your most loyal Janissary corps O' Sultan, this is our calling. Five thousand men is all I ask!"

Men of all tones and complexions crowded the area where Temari stood. Swirling robes of purple and green swept crossed the floor falling beside multi colored tanoura skirts. Swarthy heads with long black beards bowed next to short meticulously kept western style mustaches. Sharp looking French style military uniforms crowded next to ancient looking Arabian vests, a figure clad in black with a falcon perched on his shoulder barged his way to the front and bowed low only to be shoved out of the way by a decrepit looking one eyed man dressed in a massive white turban. It all reminded him of something out of a fairy tale his grandmother would've read him as a child Shikamaru mused to himself from the floor. He examined the turquoise inlay of the ceiling lazily, having been shoved to the ground by an unruly janissary general.

From his large velvet throne, covered in golden threads and elevated above the clamoring mass the Sultan, plainly dressed in a fluffy red and white robe with a plain cream turban massaged his temples, annoyed by the constant noise. He clapped his hands twice and the guards moved forward to begin forcing the figures back to the wings of the audience hall.

"Are they always like this?" Shikamaru muttered as Temari helped him back onto his knees.

"A bunch of old men rambling on, only interested in their own agendas? Yes, the world of politics is always exactly like this nonsense." She responded in annoyance. Shikamaru glanced at her irritated features carefully. She wasn't difficult to read, every line on her face spoke to her frustration with the situation.

"Still want to talk about sticking to your guns?" he asked. Temari raised an eyebrow at him.

"Don't do this to me right now," she huffed. Shikamaru just smiled at her.

"This is what you're here for isn't it?" Temari frowned back.

"I hate it when you're right. I hate you and your smug face," she said quietly through gritted teeth. Shikamaru just shrugged back, that smile she hated so much still plastered on his face. Temari couldn't help but smirk back. With a grand gesture she turned back to the Sultan and began again in her aristocratic voice.

"Sultan, grant me this at least. If not in recognition of my service then at least out of respect for what little honor my meek family name still carries. The petty officialdom maunders on while the Empire crumbles around us." Half of the assembled officials looked on shocked at the sudden outburst. Shikamaru sat back watching the unfolding reactions of the royal court, utterly amused. There were looks of offense, indignation and a few smiles of curiosity. The Sultans tired eyes peeked up, and he leaned forward in his throne, looking down at his subject as Temari continued.

"Why in times of war do we not maintain order by rounding up these scoundrels? Why do we not take action instead of letting these bounders masquerading as politicians spout their empty promises? And why in the name of Heaven is he still here?" Temari finished by pointing to one of the casually standing foreign officials at the edge of the room. A fair looking young man with a faint mustache, long European nose and long curly locks of black hair waved his hand airily, the frilly yellow epaulette's shaking on his shoulder.

"In times of war only barbarians take custody of emissaries. Commandant Sebastiani maintains the right to remain in our presence through the accepted rules of warfare." The sultan cut in promptly. "We will not forge decorum in this trying time."

"O Sultan, please, don't go through so much trouble on my account. I can see I'm not wanted here," The French Commandant responded in his airy tone, stepping forward and bowing. "Please, allow me to return to my quarters, and by all means, consider the offer of the Directorate."

With that the French ambassador turned on his heel and headed for the exit. As he did Shikamaru leaned forwards.

"That was brilliant," he muttered to her.

"I guess you just bring out the worst in me," the woman replied, her tone exhausted and equally amused.

"Enough! Your plea has been heard O' Temari, Daughter of Rasa. I shall give it further consideration. I shall inform you when I hand down my verdict." The Sultan announced with an official wave of his hand.

"To the oubliette with the prisoner then!" the old one eyed Vizier demanded, stepping out on the floor once again as the guards tried to restrain him. The sultan put his head in his hands and groaned.

"Osman's beard Yavuz, we are not using that impious archaic torture device. It has been decommissioned for over two hundred years."

"Perhaps by reviving the old ways again…" the Vizier began. The Sultan suddenly seemed to snap.

"No! No! You will not make this about politics as well! Temari is his captor and she will determine his lodgings in the meantime. Now Out! Everyone out! This court is now in recess! All of you out!"

With that the crowd bowed one final time in unison as the Sultan rose from his throne and slipped out the back.

* * *

"Swanky isn't it?" Tenten commented as she and Neji pressed themselves down the narrow alleys of the Fener, the ancient Greek quarter of Constantinople. The old multistoried wooden storefronts and mansions towered over the roadway, their spacious balconies almost touching across the streets, casting shadows down even in the middle of the daytime.

"Yes, how regal," Neji returned, a slight hint of sarcasm in his voice as his eyes glanced over the signs and medieval looking carvings on the fine oaken frames of the mansion doorways. "So you speak Greek then?"

"Well…not exactly," Tenten said hesitantly looking around. She glanced at the doorways and compared the symbols to the ones on a piece of paper she was holding in front of her. "You know Anna, the really short shy one with black hair? She told me that the leaders in the Fener, know everything that goes on in this city. Every dome, every wall, every floor of every secret passageway, the Greeks have their ears pressed to all of them."

She looked back up at her surroundings then back down at the paper and scratched her head in confusion. Calmly, Neji pulled the paper from her hands and took another look around at the buildings before pointing down to the road towards a tiny looking wooden house cramped between two large villas.

"Right, apparently we're just supposed to hop the fence, go around back and knock on the window with the carving of some western saint above it." Tenten nodded as they approached the building. Neji turned towards her warily.

"…And you're sure these people are trustworthy?" he asked in a dead monotone. Tenten looked back at him and shrugged before jumping the fence.

"You have a better idea?" She called over. With a resigned sigh Neji stretched his legs and bounded after her. Life since he'd met Tenten had been many things, but dull certainly had not been one of them.


	10. Secrets and Plots

**So...education, we all need it but man does it cut into your free time. This year looks to be busier than most so I'm not sure how frequently I'll be able to update, but trust me I'll try. Now I know the pace may feel like its slowing down a bit, but it'll pick up, cross my heart. Not much else to add. I appreciate your patience! Feel free to review, your feedback is always appreciated! Enjoy!**

Constantinople, The Ottoman Empire, 1798

Don Yemekleri was an anomaly amongst the towering bureaucratic and religious spires of ancient Constantinople. Just beyond the borders of the Fener and overlooking the swamped shipping lanes of the Bosphorus strait the building dubbed the Don Yemekleri existed for one reason and one reason only; to serve exotic looking food to paying patrons for, what seemed like to the average commoners exorbitant prices. As ludicrous as it seemed the French inspired "restaurant" had made a name for itself amongst the Greek community, not only as an eatery, but also as a place to trade tales, stories, information and secrets.

Neji looked out across the waters from the second floor of the immaculate marble building, past the harbors. Lighthouses and docks, off towards the buildings on the Asian shores. Behind him a cup of a bitter tasting brown beverage cooled on a white tablecloth. It had only taken him a sip to decide that he much preferred tea.

Tenten had abandoned him not two minutes ago, leaping over the second story railing, drawn to the siren call of an…ice cream vendor she'd called him.

"It's great you'll love it! I'll only be a second!" she'd said, leaving Neji alone with his thoughts.

Neji ran his situation over in his mind once again, fully aware that he could have walked straight into a trap. The old man in the Fener had taken some convincing, but after a quick and detailed explanation of what is was like in Vidin he'd consented and slipped them the name of a contact. Now Neji leaned out over the balcony of the restaurant awaiting the coming meeting.

The presence was faint, and just barely detectable, but Neji felt the man before he saw him. Leaning up against the pillar beside the balcony a smooth, ice-cold voice spoke in an impatient tone.

"I was told you were looking for someone," the man said, his words short and simple. Neji furrowed his brow, casting a puzzled look out across the waters. Something was odd about the voice and the man's matter of speech. He decided to take a chance and replied in Japanese.

"Indeed, they told me that you were at Vidin as well?" he asked, making sure not to hide his native accent. There was a pause as the other man peered around the pillar and looked at him.

"A Hyuga?" thoughts raced through his head. "You're a branch member then. One that survived the purge."

That got his attention, Neji turned back to face his new company and almost gawked at the sight. Standing in front of him, draped in a dark blue cape with long black bangs hanging down in front of his eyes was a familiar face.

"Uchiha, so your survived as well?" he asked curiously. He thought about asking of the rumors. The whispered tales of the murderer who'd exterminated his clan for the government, and about the sole survivor he'd left behind. He quickly pushed such curiosities from his head and returned his focus to the matter at hand. The Uchiha for his part just nodded.

"Small world. I can't believe we were both at Vidin and didn't even notice each other." The other man replied, formally introducing himself. "Sasuke Uchiha, first mercenary from the 9th Egyptian requisition."

"So you're the one who beat us to the camp hmm?" Neji asked, his voice sounding almost amused. Kiba was going to love this. "I guess that explains things."

"I should get right to the point," Sasuke added quickly. "I've been in the city for a week now, under the care of the elders of the Fener and it's turning into a place that foreigners like us shouldn't be hanging around."

"Agreed," Neji nodded, turning back towards the water as Sasuke slipped behind the pillar again. "We're looking for one of our comrades. Another survivor of the political purges, Shikamaru Nara. Shorter man, brown hair…"

"Wears an insufferably dull look on his face and speaks like he's reading from a textbook?"

"That's him alright."

"I spied him in the Topkapi Palace while running errands for the Greeks. If you're thinking of going their you'll need a special government pass. Be careful, that's the Sultan's own domain, and its about to go off like a time bomb," Sasuke muttered quietly. Neji said nothing, instead simply watching the ships sail down the strait.

"Thanks, if there's anything…"

"Don't mention it." With that Sasuke began to walk away, fading into the dark corridors of the Don Yemekleri when suddenly Neji spoke up again.

"How do you do it?" he asked. Sasuke paused; standing stock still though neither of them turned around to face the other. "I know you feel it to. That empty sensation, like standing out in the rain with no cover in sight. Like you're staring into a bottomless well. The feeling of being a wanderer, with no goal, no purpose, with no end in sight. I have to know…how do you deal with it?"

There was a pregnant pause between the two. The wind shifted slightly, blowing a warm summer breeze across the restaurants verandas and sending the last wisps of smoke from Neji's still warm coffee spiraling through the air. Sasuke considered the question silently when suddenly a new voice cut in.

"Sasuke, come on! I thought you were the one who was making all that fuss about making sure we caught this boat!" Neji turned back, surprised by the new voice, a presence he hadn't even sensed approached. Coming into his vision was a short girl with hair the color of cherry blossoms. He blinked to make sure his eyes weren't paying tricks on him. The girl stared impatiently up at Sasuke who smiled back down at her before turning his head and looking back at Neji with a bemused expression.

"You find something worth fighting for. The rest falls into place relatively easily. Maybe I'll see you back in Japan, when the time is right." And with that the two turned and headed back down the hallway. The pink haired girl turned to give him one last curious glance.

"Hey, wasn't that a…" her words became muffled as the two vanished into the dark, leaving Neji standing alone with his cup of cold coffee ruminating on the mans words.

A stick shoved its way in front of his face, snapping him out of his thoughts. Neji looked down at the white gooey blob on the stick, then back at the holder. Tenten's happy smile and large brown orbs stared back as she bit into the street snack.

"Dondurma, Turkish Ice Cream. Did I miss anything?" she asked, waving the other sticking invitingly in front of his face again. Neji smiled as he took it from her.

He nodded as he spoke up confidently. "We've got his location, let's go get the others."

* * *

"Would you like us to make accommodations for the prisoner my lady?" a servant asked, bowing low and motioning towards Shikamaru with a sweep of his hand.

"That won't be necessary," Temari replied, bidding the man to rise. "This man is a provincial prisoner and we'll deal with him accordingly until or unless we're otherwise instructed by the Sultan."

"Impressive," a new voice cut into the conversation. Temari turned to see one of the janissary commanders from the meeting hall enter. The man casually shooed the servant away as he stopped several feet away and greeted Temari respectfully. "A descendant of the elite Mamluk troops, defender of Egyptian honor and daughter of the famed Sand Shadow himself."

"It's a…pleasure, commander," Temari returned in a polite, but reserved tone as she eyed his uniform, a prim and proper tailored blue suit that imitated the French style. The two bowed towards each other as the man took another step forward. The servant left the room, looking back over his shoulder for a split second. Sitting by the door Shikamaru gave him a brief glance as he made his exit.

"You've made quite an impression," the man continued calmly. "You've certainly got people talking with that speech you made in front of the Sultan."

"Ah, you were present for that," Temari replied in her aristocratic voice, averting her eyes and waving her hand, trying to act casual. The entire scenario would've felt a little tense, perhaps even threatening…if the same scene hadn't just played out three separate times before hand. Shikamaru watched with disinterest as Temari continued to pretend like she was unaware of the intricacies of court politics. "It was nothing. What you saw is probably just my frustration with this endless bureaucracy."

"I saw enough to know that I'd rather have you as a friend rather than an enemy." The man spoke up again, his voice lower this time. Temari quickly shot him an almost comically dangerous look as the polite pretenses between them faded. The man's expression darkened as he took another step towards her and leaned his face closer, imagining himself to be some sort of suave and intricate web weaver, masterfully suited to the arts of backroom deals and, by the way he was staring at Temari seduction.

"I'm just here to get permission to make arrests and try extra national criminals." Temari said quickly and firmly, raising her hands in a show of mock helplessness. She turned her head away from the man and towards Shikamaru, made a face like she was about to gag and then swiftly turned back.

"And it's very noble of you. You're in the grandest palace in the entire empire, before the Sultan himself. If he grants your boon who is to say he won't enact policy on an empire wide scale? Should you find yourself in the courts good graces…who knows where you could end up? Who knows what other arrests could be made?" the man continued darkly, his voice now little more than a hushed whisper. Despite their position the guards behind Temari strained their ears also pretending to be fully engaged by this sudden intrigue.

A shadow moved across the crack in the door, naturally drawing Shikamaru's eyes towards it. The figure had made no noise tiptoeing across the gleaming marble floors, the figure had remained silent while leaning up against the door outside, but Shikamaru was able to sense his presence just the same. Though, he mused to himself the fact that he could detect him probably meant the man wasn't a spy or anyone with professional training. The safest best was that this man was the servant from earlier, perhaps just looking to pick up some juicy bits of gossip, or some lackey looking to gain evidence on who was forming allies with who…how droll.

"What are you insinuating?" Temari must've shared Shikamaru's sentiments. Her hands had found her way to her hips. The man stepped back with a dramatic flourish of his hands like a stage magician.

"I just think it's nice to have friends in high places," He answered, doing his best to appear dashing and dreamy.

"Once again, I'm just here to do my job."

"So you say, but tales about your journeys across the empire have made their way through the court. You've seen the chaos out there. Something's stirring n the government, and when it bubbles to the surface I'll wager that you want to be…in the good graces of the court. Just consider my offer." With that he slipped out the way he came. Beside the door Shikamaru sensed the eavesdropping figure disappear as well, leaving the four figures utterly alone in the room.

"This is getting out of hand," Shikamaru sighed leaning his head backwards. Temari grunted in agreement.

"You're telling me? Two janissary commanders, the keeper of the exchequer and the chief Chamberlin's assistant all approaching me for assistance with their petty politics." she sniffed the air and grimaced. "Ugh, what, did he dip his gloves in perfume before coming to court today?"

"This is starting to remind me way to much of home," Shikamaru muttered. "What a drag."

* * *

"Sasuke Uchiha huh?" Kiba asked. He stared down at the bustling streets from the confined inn room they'd rented. The people below began to slow as the workday drew to a close. Wooden carts with their wares were shut and boarded up as the customers and shop workers bid each other goodbye. They vanished from the square one by one until the only stalls left were brightly painted carts surrounded by groups of children, handing out Turkish cotton candy, sugar rocks and other confectionaries in exchange for small copper coins.

Kiba folded his arms, watching the pleasant scene unfold in front of him as the smell of freshly baked honey sponge cakes wafted upwards. He sighed and looked off towards the evening sky, now one brilliant mass of orange light. His face looked distant, a look Neji hadn't remembered seeing in a long time.

"You're taking this better than I thought you would," Neji commented. Kiba just kept his eyes on the sky.

"I never would've guessed he was alive Neji," he said, tone slow and quiet. He shook his head. "Never in a million years."

Neji sat silently on the bed, legs crossed as he observed his friend while the sound of children clamoring for sweets reached the room. Kiba just shook his head again, finally turning from the cool evening breeze on the balcony and walking back into the hot stuffy air of the hotel room.

"How long has it been? How many years since we've seen Japan?" he asked, looking Neji in the eyes. The Hygua responded with a dull look.

"Kiba, not this again."

"Yes…this again." Kiba said immediately brushing past him, walking back and forth between the door and the balcony. Akamaru watched him pace and whined in annoyance. Kiba suddenly stopped right in front of Neji, his mouth twisted into a frown as he asked, "I mean it was your home! You mean to tell me you don't miss it?"

"It's not that…" Neji attempted slowly.

"Really," Kiba replied with a huff, throwing his hands up in the air, walking away and leaning up against the balcony frame before continuing sourly. "Don't tell me its one of those 'you know we can never go home again because honor' type deals."

"No, that's…that's not it," Neji said. His tone was dry and focused, but he still seemed to stumble over his words. He opened his eyes again as both Kiba and Akamaru gave him curious looks. Neji stared intently in the direction of the adjacent wall, his harsh gaze not directed at any object or person in particular. Unable to find the right words he settled for a stoic humph and he closed his eyes once again. Kiba crossed his arms and turned his head inquisitively.

"Then, what, is, it?" he asked, enunciating each word carefully. Before Neji had a chance to reply, or continue ignoring the question the door burst open as Tenten entered, breathing heavily, haired mused but with a wide grin on her face.

"Alright I found them. So what's the plan?" she asked as several members of their armed entourage entered the room, shutting the door behind them.

"That's the problem," Neji said swiftly, pushing his conversation with Kiba from his mind as the group assembled in a half circle around the bed. "Shikamaru's being held at the Topkapi Palace."

Lee folded his arms troubled while Tenten leaned back and let out a low whistle.

"That…yeah I don't know if we're going to be able to pull this one off," she said scratching the back of her head. The others looked equally disconcerted. The name conjured up images of the seat of imperial power itself, the home were Sultans had been born and ruled from for hundreds of years. The gilded cage it had been called, keeping the politics firmly inside and interlopers out.

Kiba's melancholic demeanor slipped as he eyed the flustered expressions around him.

"Ah c'mon, all it'll take is a little creativity!" he began brightly from the doorway. He held up his hands and waved them towards him as if trying to direct the group's attention away from Neji. "Alright, alright…we can be…we can uh…be…"

"Noblemen," Neji offered as Kiba nodded enthusiastically.

"That's it!" he said quickly, folding his hands and trying to think. "Noblemen from a distant land come to bring gifts before the Sultan with our…harem!"

"Yeah two, scruffy looking vagabonds for a harem of twenty women?" Tenten asked skeptically. "With no papers and shabby clothes? Not to mention the money we have is clearly local chump change compared to even what the court bureaucrats make on a yearly basis."

"Ok….uhhh, let's be mercenaries!"

"They are not allowed inside the Palace without special permits…very expensive permits," Lee jumped, his energetic voice still sounding a bit deflated.

"Well….then, we just send the girls in and they can scour the palace for him while pretending to be servant girls!" Kiba tried again, dramatically waving his arms.

"Yeah, except to we'd still have to sneak all of us in without attracting any attention to ourselves, and the only time we've really seen Shikamaru is in the dead of night. So even if we all made it in we still wouldn't know what he looks like," Diana piped up soberly.

"Well Neji can go with you then." Came Kiba's automatic reply, "With the right outfit it's disturbingly easy for him to pass…"

"We swore we'd never talk about that again," Neji snapped brusquely. Tenten eyed him carefully, a mental image popping up in her mind as she snickered, biting her tongue to keep from laughing as she elbowed Lee beside her.

"It's ok, we can send Lee in with us. He's used to passing for a eunuch."

"They do not see the truth until it is too late," Lee declared proudly, letting loose a series of punches and kicks for emphasis.

"Still," Neji replied as Tenten's snickering subsided. Kiba, dropped himself onto the adjacent bed looking defeated. "Sneaking in so many people past those gates is going to be a challenge."

"Well, maybe we're going about this the wrong way then…" Tenten began as the others looked over at her. "…How many of us really need to be snuck in?"


	11. The Palace

**Hey...so like I said last time that school was looking to be a killer this year. If you haven't guessed from the last two months hiatus, I was right. Then I finally manage to get out another chapter and...it's kinda filler stuff. I know a lot of you are eager to see the relationships actually progress, and believe me so am I, but I like to take these a bit slower. I want to have the relationships develop a bit before I start any romance. So, with that said, here's the latest chapter, I'll try to get the next one out in a reasonable time, but I can make no promises. Anyways, I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think!**

Council Street was a storied and legendary path of brick and mortar. The Romans called it the Mese, the center of the known world, first decorated by the emperor Constantine, formerly lined with multicolored columns of gleaming jade, porphyry and other exotic stones unheard of in the western world brought in as tribute from alien kingdoms. White statues and sandstone obelisks from the times of antiquity and beyond, from ages not even spoken of in the whispers of the most erudite of scholars stood watch, planted where they had been for millennium watching over and being watched over by the universities, citadels and other monolithic monuments that gave the city its reputation. To the present day, from all corners of the globe the city attracted pilgrims, travellers, merchants and kings, each and every one of whom came to bask in the splendor of the glorious eternal city that was Constantinople.

"Out of the way, out of the way!"

Apparently, it also attracted shabbily dressed foreigners screaming in exotics tongues about runaway pets. Kiba continued yelling as he bolted down the still crowded evening streets of Constantinople's Imperial district. His Turkish was only barely comprehensible, but his booming voice, accompanied by a string of what sounded like swear words in any language, and the large white canine scrambling out in front of him convinced most pedestrians to dive in any direction away from Kiba.

Running in front of Akamaru, adding to the spectacle were two girls screaming at the top of their lungs about the vicious beast. Akamaru sprinted forwards just behind them, tongue flapping outside of his mouth, obviously having the time of his life.

The group rumbled along the Imperial road sending carts and animals flying from their path, a path that would eventually intersect with Council Street and run past an imposing grey gate no less than a fifty feet tall. With the great church turned mosque, the Hagia Sophia, its domed roofs standing hundreds of feet in the air just across the street the gate was easy to overlook, but its golden Islamic script etched above the triangular archway's marble inlays still spoke to its importance as the gateway to the Imperial palaces.

As the riot of noise approached the startled sultans guards reacted suddenly, pulling their weapons from their backs and aiming their guns at Akamaru.

"No!" Lee yelled suddenly appearing and forcing the confused looking guard to lower his gun. Lee continued in his best acting voice, drumming up all the theatricality that a man who wore a skintight green jumpsuit and orange legwarmers could muster. "Can you not see what a rare breed that dog is? If you kill it now the compensation will be enormous!"

"T-then, what do we do?" The guard asked, obviously flustered by the sudden appearance of the strange dog and even stranger man.

"We must capture it alive!" Lee shouted as the other guards rallied towards him. "I am sure their will be rewards if he can be taken safely!"

The many ceremonially armored guards agreed with a manic cheer as they all simultaneously bolted after the dog in their curled red leather boots. As the guards cleared away from the massive oaken gate to join the noisy fray Neji and Tenten slipped inside as quickly as possible before the veterans could pull their junior comrades back to scold them for abandoning their posts.

"Well…he wasn't kidding when he said he could give us an effective distraction." Tenten said with one last glance backwards at the ensuing carnage.

"Yes, Kiba's a man of many talents," Neji replied sarcastically as they stepped inconspicuously into the first Imperial courtyard. The scene suddenly sprawled outwards as the sounds of the Imperial streets began to fade into the background.

The initial imposing stone guard stations, now conveniently absent of sentries soon disappeared replaced instead by a splendid frenzy of color. Brightly hued birds with exotic looking plumage and long fluffed tail feathers drifted through the air over rows upon rows of snow white and lavender tulips. Low level bureaucrats, dressed in luscious silk garments and ornate spiraling turbans walked amongst the shrubbery, talking business and admiring the royal roses, colored a deep byzantine purple.

Neji's mind raced as he began looking for opportunities to blend in. After a brief moment of contemplation, before the pair could draw unnecessary attention to themselves he drafted a plan inside his head and turned towards Tenten.

"Right, lets…"

He was talking to empty air. He paused and turned again as Tenten appeared on his opposite flank suddenly. She brushed past him briskly, her eyes staring dead ahead, focusing on some distant point in front of her. In her arms were a set of large unassuming brown crates. As she passed she briefly jerked her head backwards towards the guard tower where the crates had been staked and tapped her foot on a set she'd laid down by Neji's feet. The Hyuga blinked, for once taken aback. Instinctively reached down to pick them up before following Tenten's lead feeling a bit abashed.

"I know a thing or two about avoiding attention," Tenten smiled confidently. She quickened her pace, holding the crates just low enough to let her keep an eye on the road. Neji still wide eyed quickly sidestepped a couple of lazy looking gardeners in white garments and pointed straw hats. He almost stumbled, almost. It wasn't enough to draw to much attention, but as turned awkwardly one of the gardeners gave him a strange look.

"Just look busy. Walk with purpose and people won't ask questions." Tenten encouraged as she instantly appeared at his side again. Neji blinked once again, the dump stuck sheepish look still on his face. A whimsical smile split Tenten's face as she spared a glance at his expression. "Oh, don't look so surprised. I do have some skills of my own you know. Reconnaissance just happens to be one of them."

The pair continued down the path, a peacock lounging on the road jumped and cawed as they brushed past, running off, brilliant turquoise feathers bobbing behind it. In the distance a pair of guards angrily jeered at one another while a troupe of servants raced from one building to the next. Tenten walked past it all, apparently unperturbed. She quickly strayed from the path as Neji stumbled after her. She turned her head, nodded at one of the closest buildings and nodded her head, a confident grin on her face. Neji found himself staring at her back, as overhead the broad-leafed trees allowed an afternoon light to illuminate her gentle chestnut hair and smile.

"Forgive us if we can't get our passes out at the moment." Tenten's word snapped him out of his reverie. The two had wound their way around a large elegant looking brick red building. At the very peak, a large cylindrical dome with a gilded tip gleamed down at the courtyard. Tenten grunted, hefting the load of boxes, as the singular guard by the door perked his head up eyeing the two curiously. He quickly reverted back to a bored look and shrugged his shoulders before opening the doorway.

"Much obliged," Tenten said, grunting with a mock huff of effort, as if the boxes were heavier than they actually were.

"You know where you're headed with that?" he asked, leaning against his ceremonial pike.

"Do we ever?" Tenten asked as the pair disappeared into the dark entryway.

"Good point," The guard replied with a genuine laugh as he began to close the door behind them.

Darkness enveloped them as soon as they set foot inside. Stumbling around, a blindly turning a corner the two saw a few faint beams of light at the end of a long corridor. Tenten set her boxes as she turned her head towards Neji in the darkness.

"And we're in!" she stated. Neji raised an eyebrow, a meaningless gesture in the blackness as the pair continued to walk forward through the forgotten buildings corridors.

"Well?" Neji responded. Tenten rolled her eyes as the two emerged underneath the cylindrical domes high ceiling, a fading golden mosaic on the roof clutched an ancient looking cross as she looked down on the two.

"Well, what's the plan? C'mon mister genius, do you think I had us walk in here for kicks? You saw that second gate as soon as I did right? This is stage one. How do we get to the inner sanctum?" she asked as their eyes adjusted. Neji blinked once again. Second gate? No, no way. He'd almost been able to spot the bullets from Sasori's gun, he'd been known as a warrior who could slice the wing of a fly back home. There was no way he'd missed a second gate. What in the world would've distracted him so…

Tenten gave him a skeptical look as Neji suddenly turned his head and scanned her face in the dim church light. There was silence between the two, the bird calls and idle chattering from the sunny outdoors was drowned out by a sudden gust of air that rushed through the high windows long since deprived of their stained glass. The air brushed across the two, even in the subdued light Neji could see the brown strands of hair brush across Tenten's face.

"You're certainly a lot better than I initially gave you credit for." He said suddenly mustering the only response he could. Neji was sure he could've seen a blush cross her face.

"Oh shut up," the response was followed by a swift punch to his shoulder. Neji smiled and crossed his arms. As he cast another glance around the room piled high with crates and scattered rags.

"Alright, I have an idea."

* * *

"The horsemen charged as they had so many time before, putting to flight the forces of Byzantium, Bulgaria even the terrible scourge of the Mongols. They bore down upon their enemies, gleaming sabers reflecting the sunlight and their hooves thundering across the sands. Yet still the regiment held formation, weapons locked and lowered; and then on the sand banks of the ancient deserts, in the land of the Pharaohs, in the shadows of those primeval Pyramids did the valiant Napoleon shout "Forward! Remember that from those monuments yonder forty centuries look down upon you!" There was a great crash, one enormous discharge of powder and smoke, one dazzling display of elegant military theory in motion and it was all over!"

Nearly every fist in the Sultan's reception room was balled, officials wrung their hands together in anxiety while military janissaries furiously shook in their seats so hard that their golden jewelry began tinkling. Still the French ambassador kept talking, styled boots sweeping across the floors whilst making grand gestures and keeping the most smugly satisfied of looks on his face. He spread him arms wide and spun on the heel of his black army boot to the face the angry looking crowd. His eyes swept across their faces and the smug grin deepened before he began his rant once again.

"This Battle of the Pyramids ended in victory for French forces. The Mamluks who were not slaughtered on the spot scattered. Ancient and honorable lady Cairo, the capital city of Egyptian fame became the honorable domain of France's great general Napoleon Bonaparte." The ambassador turned back towards the Sultan and bowed low. "Most excellent Sultan, heir to the most revered and powerful empire of the Ottomans I beseech you. Do not protract this unnecessary war. The Mamluk commanders only retained their watch over Egypt by paying an annual tribute to you. Give us your blessing, and allow us to hold Egypt and we shall double that amount! Then blessed peace may return to the Mediterranean."

Selim's reply was curt and with a sharp undercurrent of anger.

"It will be discussed with my advisors, go." With a bow and not another word the ambassador beat a hasty retreat from the room as a court clerk waved the next case forward, his leather soles making quick patting sounds against the gleaming marble floors.

Silence descended upon the room. The Sultan folded his hands calmly as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, sitting beneath his impotent gold, mosaics, ornaments and jewel studded domes. In the distance some palace fountain bubbled and one of the Sultan's prized stallions whinnied on the riding grounds. Giving a resigned sigh Selim sat back in his ornate throne, the words of the French ambassador still ringing in his ears.

Up in the assembly wings of the throne room, beneath archways decorated with ancient Turkish poetry the assembled court sat in silence. Shikamaru allowed himself a long glance at Temari.

Her normally spry features still displayed that trademark attitude Shikamaru had come to expect from her, but there was something else. Her lips were still pursed, brow still furrowed, fists still balled, but all just barely so. She seemed melancholic, tired.

"Temari…" he began against his better judgment.

"It's over…" she replied evenly. Her voice sounded hoarse. She swallowed audibly, trying to get rid of the lump in her throat. Her normally fierce eyes stared ahead wearily. "There's nothing left for me there."

A million thoughts that ran through Shikamaru's mind, a million things he could've said, attempts to encourage, to help… attempts at comfort. He wanted to tell her he knew how she felt, how empty it felt after losing your home, what had been your life for so many years. He sat, and stared only at last able to cough out.

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah," Temari almost spat bitterly. Realizing her tone, she looked away from him and towards the ceiling. "It doesn't matter now."

Shikamaru watched her eyes aimlessly trace the calligraphy on the walls. He wracked his brain for something else to say, anything else. Beneath them, in front of the throne the Sultan motioned for the next figure to step forward as the two continued to sit in silence. The audience hall remained subdued, though officials muttered to each other in hushed tones. Temari's eyes suddenly snapped forward as she gripped Shikamaru by the shoulder. The man's eyes flew towards hers, recognizing the familiar fire coming back to her movements.

"Get behind me," she demanded suddenly.

"What?"

"Now," Temari demanded. Without a seconds delay she forced him back away from the railing of the balcony with one arm and scooted into his place. Shikamaru, confused but trusting her judgment followed her instruction, but attempted peaking over her shoulder nonetheless.

He glanced down at the clean marble floors and at the bandaged figure, hunched over and shambling like a dead man across it towards the throne of the most powerful man in the Empire. What could be made out of the mans countenance was repulsive, yet strangely familiar. It was difficult to make out details of the man, wrapped as he was in rows upon rows of white gauze and tight bandages, but the still comically large turban and ostentatious jewelry gave Shikamaru an uncomfortable realization.

The Sultan's retinue did not appear to be any more receptive of the newcomer. Attendants and servants stepped back in disgust, one of the advisors lifted his schedule book to his nose, attempting to drown out the mans with that of old paper. Even from his vantage point Shikamaru swore he could catch the scent of horse manure and burnt meat. The ceremonial guards, draped in golden silken vests and tall white marching hats stood a little straighter and curled their noses, trying to avoid the pungent fragrance.

One of the advisors, a stocky man with a wide red turban and even redder face stepped forward, wagging a thin blue peacock quill at the man.

"You have some nerve, showing your face here." He coughed the words out quickly, staring at the partial visible black pupils beneath the man's bandages. "Imperial pardons do not simply grant traitors a license to waltz into the Imperial court of their own volition."

"I would think that a matter for the wise and mighty Sultan himself to decide." The figure coughed in a raspy tone as he turned towards the royal throne and gave as low and as a respectful of a bow as he could muster.

Selim just rolled his eyes and waved a jeweled hand dismissively, as if he'd already had far more flattery from this visitor than he cared to stomach.

Reluctantly, the advisor turned back towards the figure, his mouth curled like he was about to spit into the man's face. The quill disappeared as his arms settled back into the oversized sleeves of his red brocade robe. He gave a mocking bow of acknowledgement towards the speaker.

"Plead your case Kircali Mehmet."

"Tsk. Well isn't this just my luck," Shikamaru mumbled from behind Temari. To have been followed all the way to Constantinople like this. Yet, he pondered at the same time, if a pompous jackass like this Kircali could track him then maybe his messages to the others hadn't been a desperate gamble. Still this could be bad…

"I'll be brief. I want my slaves back," Mehmet demanded. "They escaped from me at Vidin and I have it on good authority that they were seen heading for the capital. I want license to hunt them down and drag them from whoever they're hiding out with."

Snickers were heard from the balcony. Temari felt Shikamaru shrink behind her as Mehmet's gaze snapped towards the smug looking military commanders.

"Relax," Temari said under her breath as she smirked back at the traitor along with the others. "After all we've been through if anyone's going to be taking your head it's going to be me."

"Of course," Shikamaru returned callously. "How silly of me."

"This appeal is most unorthodox," a new voice spoke up. The tone was deep, like someone had poured gravel down his throat. All eyes turned towards the new comer. A dark black cloak fluttered upwards as the man stood, two unblinking glass green eyes stared out from underneath a ceremonial black cap. As the imposing figure put a sandaled foot forwards Mehmet almost instinctively took one step back. "You, a two bit hoodlum, and who was not one week ago an enemy of the state want a license that would allow you to go door to door to drag some girls back to your squalid backwater tents out in the hills of Rumelia? Was this claim really great enough to bring before the Sultan? Was there no bureaucrat bored enough to manage your trifling matter?"

"Who's that?" Shikamaru asked, peaking over Temari's shoulder as the light chuckling from the balcony echoed through the throne room once again.

"Legal scholar and next in line for the head of the Finance Ministry," she replied, narrowing her eyes at the figure, trying to make out features beneath the burly cloak and hat. "His name's Kakuzu I think."

Mehmet, clearly unfazed by the officers rhetoric raised and shook a bandaged fist in defiance, his raspy voice full of all the venom he could muster.

"Do you have any ideas what those girls represent? 10 years of my life went into that collection of warrior women! Clearly you do not understand janissary politics!"

"Bandit politics you mean. Even barbarian politics would be more apt to the diplomacy you engage in." Kakuzu huffed, he turned his back and began walking back to his assigned seat near the sultan.

"I am a man of some importance, and when I make demands…"

"They would've been directed the local director and intermediary negotiator. If you were in Rumelia then surely you were in contact with Sasori of the Red Sand." Kakuzu continued, his voice not even attempting to contain his arrant apathy. He gave a sharp wave of his hand as if to dismiss the claim.

"I was. Unfortunately, he has not been seen since Vidin." Mehmet hissed. The advisors and bureaucrats paused. Kakuzu raised what must have been an eyebrow and turned back towards Mehmet curiously. Shikamaru looked from side to side as hushed whispering broke out amongst the officials beside him, their frowns and furrowed brows displaying nothing but general disquiet. Even Selim himself sat forward in his throne and crossed his hands.

"Your excellency?" Kakuzu asked with a bow. The Sultan breathed in heavily through his nose as his face to contorted into an anxious frown. He looked back at Kakuzu and gave a nod. The man scribbled someone down onto a piece of paper and flung it at Mehmet. "Go to the department of provincial governor requisitions. You can receive a permit, but I warn you barbarian, do not overextend your jurisdiction."

Mehmet snatched the document out of the air and gave Kakuzu a bow so low it couldn't have been interpreted as anything other than a mocking gesture.

"Then I thank the Sultan for his grace, and I shall return to thank him once more… after I have claimed what is mine."


	12. Belly of the Beast

**Ahhh...what happened? Where did the year go? I'm so sorry folks, school, work, life just got in the way. That's the only excuse I can offer you. Please take this subpar chapter as a token apology and hopefully I'll see you again next year for the next chapter.**

A massive fountain bubbled lively in the center of the palace gardens as the Ottoman summer sun reached its peak. The craftsmanship was old, classically Romanesque; yet the design was so well preserved and the structure so massive that any passing English cavalier may have been forgiven for mistaking it for an older Victorian gazebo. The fresh water continued gurgling in the shade beneath the slanted fading green dome, but it was obvious the building with its scratched white marble siding and sun bleached stone had seen far more glorious days.

And yet, one of the gardeners pondered to himself as he crawled on his knees inspecting the length of the grass around the base of the fountain, it had lasted this long, witnessed the changing of so many guards that it only felt right to keep it around until the foundation cracked and the water dried up.

A calloused leathery hand wiped the sweat from his furrowed brow as he continued to inspect the length of the green lawn. He took a hand scythe from his belt and sliced an elongated patch of weeds that had defiantly pried its heads between the two stone steps that led into the shaded fountain itself.

A small flock of laughing doves, their wings tinged blue stared down at him from the roof of the cloisters that surrounded the garden and cackled heartily at his efforts.

The gardener ignored them, and took in the smell of the freshly cut grass as he sat down on the second step, his work on pause for the moment. The weeds would come back and the grass would grow out again, it always did. For now though, it was a job well done. He sighed to himself, and fishing a piece of dried fruit out from his satchel he dropped it in front of a brown-shelled turtle resting near the fountain basin. The animal peeked its head out and slowly clamed its mouth around the treat.

Two figures walked briskly through the adjacent cloister past the gardeners view. One appeared to be wearing the gardeners outfit…at least that's what it looked like from a distance. He couldn't imagine who else besides the clerics would be wearing all white like that, but he couldn't for the life of him remember if that gardener was part of the staff or not…well the palace was a big place.

It wasn't the gardener that worried him anyways, it was the figure beside him, the female, out walking freely, clothes rough and worn, eyes darting towards the distance and hands held near her what had to be a weapons pouch that really caused the hair on his neck to stand on end. She looked liked a steppe warrior and walked like a mercenary.

The old man briefly entertained the idea of flagging the pair down and demanding identification; but that, especially with the atmosphere of teeth clenching dread that hung around the palaces these days might as well be suicide. No, keep your head down and weather out the storm. It never paid to get involved in intrigue and court politics, no matter how much blood might be spilled.

A new figure moved at the far end of the cloister, the gardeners keen eyes moving just quickly enough to spot the shadow. So that's how it was. Yeah, definitely a good idea to keep ones head down in these trying times, the weeds would be cut but the fountain will still remain.

"Seriously? I thought we'd made sure no one was following." Tenten mumbled, resisting the sudden urge to look behind her. Neji barely nodded his head in acknowledgement as the two continued briskly past the gardens.

"He sticks to the corners and always doubles back with the long corridors. He's 'making himself look busy' and making a very concerted effort to keep himself hidden at the same time." Neji said, his keen eyes boring straight ahead towards the path in front of them.

The end of the gardens were in sight now, brightly colored tulips lining the paved walkways and sounds of running water grew fainter, replaced instead by the large echoing halls lighted by brilliant chandeliers and filled with the hushed whispering of the bureaucrats and servantry.

"Well that certainly didn't take them long." Tenten muttered, thumbing a throwing knife she kept in her coat pocket while running down a mental checklist of blades she had on her person. "Don't you have like…stealth training or something? That's what you islanders are known for right? Stealth warriors and all that? Ninja's or something like that?"

"Shinobi, and no that's a very different branch of military traditions." Neji corrected cautiously as he to instructively found the sword concealed inside of his coat.

"A different tradition you say?" Tenten asked playfully, that teasing grin appearing on her face as the fact that the pair were running from a pursuer briefly vanished.

"Look at my uniform, I'm no shinobi. The only way you could be any more obvious is if you wore bright orange. Focus now, fan girl later."

"Right, right." Tenten conceded as the pair speedily rounded the first corner they came across, brushing past a startled looking servant boy. Tenten inclined her head ever so slightly and allowed her bright green eyes to glance down the hall they'd just come from for a split second. There, she spotted him, a dark looking travellers cloak with a huge tuft of lemon colored blonde hair and two beady little blue eyes. "Oh I see him now. He is good. Well there's only one way to shake a pursuer like that"

"Agreed, but it's a risky maneuver." Neji said in agreement casting a glance around their surroundings, what appeared to be an endless maze of corridors and hallways. "We could end up with more on our tail, or they may just decide to raise the alarm."

"Well we didn't get this far by playing it safe," Tenten sighed. She steeled herself and let go of the throwing knife, her posture relaxed as she let her arms sway naturally as she walked. "Let's meet back up by that large fountain tonight. If one of us can't make it we'll give each other 24 hours and if we haven't met up by then the other should bail."

"It won't come to that. Stay safe, stay alert and I'll see you back there tonight."

"Not if I see you first," Tenten said cheekily, her usual smile running across her lips as the pair reached a branching path inside the palace. For a split second Neji turned his head and shared her smile. Then without another moment of hesitation the two turned in opposite directions, their shoes squeaking and leaving scuff marks on the decorative floors as they bolted down their respective corridors.

* * *

"Remove your shoes numbskulls," Temari said snippily, her eyes boring into the two provincial guards like knives. The pair flinched at her tone and backed up under her gaze with a bow, their weapons lowered. "Honestly, you'll give all of us provincials a bad name. Or do you want them to think we're all shepherds and pigeon breeders?"

Temari had spent the last few minutes pacing up and down the floors of the waiting room, only stopping to lecture the guards of Shikamaru for their behavior. It had been awhile since Temari had been this fidgety Shikamaru observed to himself, and neither the nervous habits of the guards or his lackadaisical attitude seemed to be helping matters any. Oh well, he wasn't going to give up a perfectly relaxing opportunity to stare at the ceiling just to calm her always frazzled nerves. Besides, she was almost cute when she paced like that…almost.

"Apologies m'lady, we really have no place in such a luxurious palace. Please, maybe it'd be best if we just waited outside." One of them said quickly in an anxious tone, his head still bowed. Temari looked a bit sheepish when she spied Shikamaru's expression, an amused smirk out of the corner of her eye. She turned her death glare on him and waved her hand dismissively.

"Yes, yes, fine, go on. We'll survive without you." She huffed. The guards bowed once more and left via a pair of golden inlaid doors.

"Salt of the earth aren't they?" Shikamaru grinned not taking his gaze off the intricate French rococo design of the ceiling, his eyes tracing the elaborate golden curves as they turned, spun and swirled outwards and back in on themselves.

"We're going into a private audience with a man who holds an office some four hundred years old. Keep up that smarmy attitude in front of him and you're going to wish I'd handed you over to that Kircali." Temari returned, her visage grim and serious.

"Oh don't worry about me," Shikamaru said, stifling a yawn. Temari looked at him with demoralized resignation.

"You're hopeless you know that?" she sighed, rising from her chair, looking as if she was going to start pacing the room once again.

"Deep breaths," Shikamaru reminded her, taking his eyes off the ceiling.

"Just why now, of all times?" Temari asked resisting the urge to run her hands through her carefully kempt hair.

"You basically called the entire bureaucracy incompetent to their faces." Shikamaru smiled as if he was stating the obvious. "Maybe he wants to address your complaints in private?"

"Or take our heads for speaking treason…"

"Drop the pessimism, it doesn't suit you." Shikamaru said, continuing to smile at her as she glanced at him with a pensive look. "If the court politicians view you as a valuable pawn then the Sultan will as well. With your bloodline and character he'd be a fool to try and get rid of you now."

"Yeah, yeah, of course," Temari said breathing out with another anxious sigh as she nodded her head. In front of them a door creaked open as a plainly dressed servant in black stepped forward. This was it, there would be no pomp, no ceremony, no ostentatious display of wealth and power, no presentation of golden splendor that accompanied the visits of foreign diplomats. This was a meeting, between a leader and his subordinate.

"The Sultan will receive you now." He said with a bow. Temari turned towards Shikamaru who just nodded at her. She returned the nod, took him by the chains and walked towards the door.

The room, perhaps even smaller than the waiting room they'd just come from was surprisingly austere. Plain yellow mats that brushed softly against their feet covered the floor, light blue satin curtains fluttered lightly around the rooms large balcony window and the only piece of furniture was a small Ottoman writing desk. The Sultan sat before it on a red and white velvet cushion focused on the document her was writing.

Stern looking guards, no doubt chosen for their massive size and figure stood at the four corners of the room. Each one hefted an enormous battle axe over his shoulder and carried a pistol in his belt. Dark eyes stared down at the strangers to the Sultan's meeting room from beneath enormous red feathered conical hats.

The sultan continued to keep his head down, focused on his writings. It was at this point that Shikamaru noticed Temari was not breathing. She was standing stock still, arms firmly glued to her sides, knuckles turning white from gripping his chains so hard.

Shikamaru briefly entertained the idea of breaking polite protocol and attempting to sit before being given permission…briefly. Temari would've had a heart attack, or bashed his head into the ground…probably both. Instead he settled for giving her a subtle poke in the side with his elbow. Temari let out a small gasp.

"Breathe," he muttered quietly to her. Temari didn't reply, but Shikamaru could see her posture relax and hands loosen up just a little.

"Welcome," Selim said finally, looking up. He placed his pen back down onto the table and waved the guards out before motioning to the floor. "Please be seated. We have much to discuss."

* * *

In retrospect there was little else they could've done, still Neji felt that, had he more time he might've been able to devise a suitable alternative to splitting up and trying to loose his pursuer…correction. Pursuers. Just as they'd anticipated, as soon as the two had parted ways the alarm had been raised and before he knew it armored figures were poring out of the woodworks.

He couldn't quite make out the specifics of the thickly accented Turkish shouting, and as pistol shots cracked the air he'd decided he didn't care to try. There was little alternative to simply running for his life now. Yet, as he stared down another dead end somewhere deep in this incredible labyrinth that the Sultan called a palace he decided that their most certainly should've been another way.

Ancient pillars of Indian ivory and Egyptian jade supported the ancient marble roofs inlaid with friezes of forgotten saints and emperors, while modern buildings splashed with blue and green paints dwelled underneath the seemingly eternal structures. It was all very impressive Neji decided, and it would certainly make for a very nice looking burial ground if his pursuers caught him here.

"Think," he commanded himself looking at the architecture harder. A crack there, a ledge here, a flat wall, a space small enough to launch himself higher…yes, yes there was a way out. Quickly he jumped and grabbed the top of a nearby doorframe, pulling himself and preparing to launch himself towards the other side of the alleyway.

"Fascinating," a new voice said beside him. It was elegant, yet with a strange accent, almost like his own. He turned his head once again to see a dark haired man twirling a European styled mustache, leaning up against an open doorway in an immaculate military uniform. "You're certainly versed in some form of escape arts aren't you?"

Neji ignored the man as he continued scanning the adjacent wall, calculating his jumps.

"Oh don't be ridiculous," the man said quickly, with a wave of his hand before stepping out of the doorway and motioning him in. "Come inside immediately. If they catch you out here, you're a dead man."

"And why should I trust you?" Neji questioned, his eagle eyes not turning from his planned escape route.

"Why indeed?" The man nodded sagely. He gave Neji the most arrogant shrug the Hyuga thought possible and pointed up towards the roof as the golden frills on his uniform jangled with his movements while the infernal shouting of a nearly crazed guard squad got closer and closer. Neji's head spun backwards trying to gauge the distance of his incoming pursuers.

Neji turned his gaze away finally, still glaring analytically, trying to decipher the man, his stances, his mannerisms, any purpose he may have for offering assistance out of the blue. As the shouts and sounds of footsteps grew closer he took the plunge and dropped down.

* * *

"Seven years ago in the middle of noon day Friday prayers an Arab provincial, with this thick white beard and dark eyes started shouting profanities and tossing musket balls at my head. My chief guard grabbed him by the throat, dragged him out into the street and took his head.

What shameless behavior I said to myself. So what if he was insane? Have we no asylums? No, that's no it. It was the neglect of the officers, it was the decay of the city! Peasants flocked here in droves. The streets were full of beggars, dervishes and lunatics.

Yet, was I not Sultan? I promised to rectify the situation. I bolstered the police, registered all residents of all stations and, purified the Gate of Felicity of its vagrants. I did this all with a mind to restore social harmony to our great city, to make it pleasing before the eyes of the Almighty. I looked to the great cities of the west, London, Vienna, Rome and especially Paris as a model. In those days I had visions of the great golden beacon I would turn my land into. Then they would look east and marvel at my accomplishments.

So I modeled my reforms after them. I remodeled the French embassy, introduced their styles, invited their drill sergeants. I made friends with the foreign republicans even received delegations from that foreign confederation of states. Now what have I received in return for my overtures? Napoleon, marches through Egypt and holds my territory hostage."

Silence overtook the group as only the lonely sounds of the wind rushing past the window filled the room. The Sultan looked across the palace grounds, hands crossed behind his back and he walked back lethargically to his desk and sat down.

"And as such the parasites in the capital begin to chatter behind my back. For ages now the janissaries have had the power to make and unmake Sultans when they are united with the support of the nobles. Tell me newcomers to my palace, what have you observed?"

"The nobles certainly don't want your new order pushed forward. They've sworn to destroy it." Temari answered martially, her speech still stiff and awkward, despite having reverted back to an aristocratic tone.

"And as Napoleon tramples my lands underfoot they just might succeed." The Sultan sighed. He reached into his billowing robes and pulled out a small pair of gold and black reading glasses before glancing down at a document in his hands. "You've had quite the journey haven't you? Egypt, Greece, Vidin Rumelia. Tell me, what is your opinion as to the current climate?"

Temari bit her tongue, as memories flashed through her eyes each one popping like fireworks, revealing the painful truths she'd discovered.

"It's…" she began, still considering her words carefully. Shikamaru looked at her with concern while the Sultan waited patiently. "It's uncertain, everywhere you go there is veil of anxiety that blankets our every step. The capital is the one place where, well…where it feels like everything is business as usual. Fear and paranoia, I'm afraid are more prevalent in the provinces."

The Sultan simply nodded sagely and folded his hands on the table.

"Your insight is extraordinary. I'm of a similar opinion. I guess I should've expected as much from Rasa's daughter. Tell me, how is your family?"

"We've been well," Temari continued in her still anxious tone. "My brothers are still out on the frontier. Kankuro's been stationed in the mountain passes in Georgia and I received a letter from Gaara a few months ago saying he'd been promoted to captain of a forward unit on the Persian frontier."

"And yourself?" Temari looked a bit surprised, flustered even.

"I-i-I've been fine," she stammered out quickly averting her eyes and looking down at the ground. Her eyes followed the chain in her hand back towards Shikamaru. The pair shared a silent look before Temari turned her head back up towards the Sultan. "My journeys have been an adventure, and I now wish only to serve the Empire."

The Sultan had followed her gaze and turned his attention towards Shikamaru.

"And why did you come here young man? For the riches?" The sultan almost sounded like he was scoffing at such a thought. "Just what tales did the frontiersmen fill your head with?"

"Oh, I'm just a wanderer, nothing more." Shikamaru replied, his clipped speech marking a sharp contrast with Temari's aristocratic talk. Temari's face turned a bit red as the Sultan smiled while he continued to pry.

"To wander here, all the way from China. That is no small feat. How are things in the Middle Kingdom?"

"Tributaries bow to the empire like flowers centering a phoenix. Rebels scatter before the might of the imperial hand and the Dukes fall into line to offer homage. From his throne the dragon emperor sees all. All is well in the Middle Kingdom." Shikamaru drawled, hoping he was translating the flowery Chinese he barely knew himself into something half way comprehensible in Turkish.

"Our emissaries tell us that their was a major rebellion recently." The Sultan continued to probe.

"The White Lotus? Yes, they still exist, but their leadership is destroyed and their largest armies have been defeated. Still there is a faction within the White Lotus, the Eight Trigrams who will continue to fight." Shikamaru tried to hide his panic. He'd picked up a lot of talk from the merchants he'd travelled with the past few years, but his knowledge was still spotty at best.

"You speak with authority on such matters. Were you by any chance…a member of this rebellion faction?" The Sultan asked, the smile still painted on his mouth. A million answers ran through Shikamaru's head, replies, excuses, explanations…they all seemed like a lot of work.

"Yeah, you got me." He shrugged, resisting the urge to yawn. Beside him Temari rolled her eyes, recognizing his words as the answer of a man who'd completely lost interest in the conversation. Shikamaru suddenly flinched as Temari jabbed him in the side as hard as she could. He shot her a dirty look whilst the Sultan looked about three seconds away from a very undignified giggle.

"You two make an interesting pair," he said catching both almost completely off guard. Then leaning in closer, her leveled his eyes and stared directly at Temari. "Tell me daughter of Rasa, what would you do if I released your from your service right now?"

Temari blinked at the question. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. There was silence for a moment as the question hung in the air as Temari tried to stammer out an answer.

"I…I…"

"Like you said, the capital is the only place that seems to be maintaining an air of normality. The capital shall continue on for eternity, that much is sure, whether I shall sit upon it's throne is another matter. Will it be a new sultan? A king? A shah? A tsar? Who can tell? My own position is so tenuous. If my empire does collapse, I as its leader must do my utmost to ensure the safety of my children until the end days. So again I ask…"

"It can't be that bad can it?" Temari asked, her southern accent rearing it's head as she raised her voice. Temari must've realized she'd interrupted the sultan as her face turned a deep shade of red, yet still she continued. "You're alive, the empire is alive, and where there's life…"

She stopped short as the Sultan gazed at her sadly.

There was silence again as Temari shrunk back, not even the wind daring to interrupt the noiseless atmosphere. "Your not the first and you won't be the last idealist in these halls. In recognition for your families distinguished service, in recognition of your youth, in recognition of your skill, your ambition, your fire I'll offer you this choice. You may leave my service whenever you wish…"

* * *

"Well this is another fine mess he's gotten me into," Tenten sighed to herself staring at a dead end. She smiled as her hands began rummaging through her bags, gloved fingers dancing around the various blades and knives. "Oh well, plan B."

"Gutsy one aren't you? Hmm?" a new voice asked. Tenten turned to see the blonde haired man she'd spied earlier walk towards the alleyways outlet, hands concealed in his enormous black sleeves.

"Just you? Well that's disappointing. For the noise you capital folks were making I was expecting a full house. " Tenten replied smarmily, drawing six throwing knives and crossing her arms in front of her, the pointed silver blades bared and ready to throw.

The long black sleeves fluttered apart as the mans arms appeared suddenly from amongst the billowing silken fabric. He turned his calloused and scarred hands over to reveal two small cast iron balls with a series of wild birds sketched in white chalk across their shells and clothes wicks protruding from the top.

"Oh don't worry I'm sure we'll find ways to entertain ourselves."


	13. Best Laid Plans

**A second chapter? It's a July miracle! I apologize if it feels...stagnant. I try to always move the plot along but the plot of this particular story unfortunately just wants to sit on its butt for as long as possible. I hope this story's moving into it's final third, and that I can finally give all you nice readers some payoff to the constant buildup, but then I can make no promises. With that out of the way here's the chapter. Please enjoy!**

"I cannot believe I let you talk me into this," Two sets of shoes continued clacking against rust red cobblestone path sending up dust into their dry corner of the summer palace. Tenten faked a smile whilst stretching her arms by swinging them outwards. She continued walking a healthy step behind her new blonde haired acquaintance, while also keeping a trained eye on the mans sleeves.

"It's not every day that I meet a girl who knows the differences between a clumsy Prussian 8-inch detonator explosive and my own homemade art. Let alone a human being who can guess the chemical composition just by the smell." The blonde haired man's neck craned behind him giving Tenten a full view of his crazed grin as the chatter of the plazas and palace squares gradually began to reach their ears once again. The squares Tenten had just minutes earlier been running through trying to evade him. "Just what did you say your name was?"

"Theokleia." Tenten piped up quickly, borrowing a modification of one of her friends names. The now afternoon sun cast longer shadows from the ancient masons work, partially illuminating her face as the man led her back out the way she'd come. Sure the situation had been defused by their mutual obsession with all things deadly, but something in her gut told her that this man was dangerous, like a wild dog with no master.

"Greek? Oh please, if you're going to use a fake identity fine but at least make it believable. Hmm." He finished his sentence with a haughty grin, stopping cold and spinning on his heel before leaning right down towards her face, a singular sea blue eye staring out from behind a long banana blonde bang. Tenten returned his look unfazed.

"As if you're who you say you are. Deidara? Really? I may not understand a lot of Island speak but that's just the word for clay isn't it?" She said, returning his crazed glare with a smug smile of her own.

"Hmm, perceptive, you understood that? So you are from the Orient then." he finished, gaze not deviating from the mercenary girl in front of him. Tenten nearly fell backwards, feeling a cold clammy feeling wash over her. She'd stepped right into that one. This man was playing nice for now though it was hard to forget that mere minutes before he'd been ready to kill her. He appeared, all at once smug, arrogant, conceited and devilishly intelligent. Tenten bit her lip as the summer sun beat down on the pair, a steamy heat rising from the stones around them, wet droplets of sweat appearing on their skin. Yet, neither broke eye contact as their eyes continued to bore into the other, as if daring the other one to reveal their secrets.

A new voice broke the deadlock.

"We've searched the area sir, but there's no sign of the other target…" a new man said, familiar looking thick maroon sash of the palace guards tied around his waist and conical hat of the same color atop his head. He paused as he spied Tenten as he hefted his axe with a second hand. "Has she always been with you?"

Deidara's attitude spun on a dime. His disposition, posture and stance hardened, his face darkened as he turned towards the guard and began trudging forward, scowling and face twitching, not stopping until he was well into the guards personal space. The frightened man rapidly backed up, right out the golden roman archway he'd come from as Deidara chased him all the way into the plaza.

"Of course she has you stupid provincial! Or are you as blind as you are stupid? Move it! Hmm!" he yelled as the guard tripped himself up the steps of another domed marble decorated building. The guard simply nodded hastily, picked himself up and scrambled off the steps, leaving scuff marks on the polished sheen. Deidara scoffed and turned his head back towards Tenten, his looks suddenly sunny as the summer season itself. "Can you believe the hired help these days?"

"I can hardly believe anyone would work for you. Let alone why I'm choosing to." Tenten said crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. Just her luck, another complete psycho. Though he seemed to enjoy a little banter she was still taking a risk with such a flippant attitude. Deidara raised an eyebrow of his own as he moved back in towards her before he grinned.

"I like you, you've spunk and a good aesthetic instinct, but back to the matter at hand. I promise not to hand you over to the palace guard, to get you out of the palace, to find your friends and all you have to do is help me out with one tiny little favor." He looked over her skeptical features analytically as his arms disappeared back into his massive sleeves. A crazed look appeared in his eye as his green widened, baring a set of pale porcelain teeth. "Don't worry, it's not a big favor. Me and my associates were just looking to kill the Sultan."

Tenten's eyes widened ever so slightly, her pupils dilated as if the words themselves had shot adrenaline through her system. She felt her face flush and heart beat quicken. Deidara smiled quizzically as he saw the girls tanned skin tense and shake for a split second, her gloved fingers tightening around the sleeves of her white silken shirt as her bottom lip curled ever so slightly and as her teeth clamped down on the inside of her mouth.

"Of course if you'd rather not," Deidara continued as his arms twitched inside on his cloud covered cloak, smile not faltering. "We could always resume our little spat."

Tenten clenched her arms harder, staring into the eyes of the madman. Memories flowed through her brain, images tinted and fogged by the decay of time but still vivid and painful as ever. What little she could remember of her family, friends long gone, Neji…why was he…Tenten shook it from her mind.

Slowly she uncrossed her arms and reached towards her right shoulder, carefully undoing the three red oriental styled flower buttons that held the two silken garments of her outfit together she revealed the skin right below her shoulder, a light pink patch splayed in the pattern of a four point star stared to the now very curious observer.

"I was given this by a man who tried to force himself on me. After I busted his jaw he shoved a pike through my shoulder to teach me a lesson. This man was trained for the sultans armies, allowed to run wild on the sultan's land…"

"Kircali. Outlaws." Deidara said, his smile deepening once again, looking almost manic and crazed. "Y'know, I heard that since Napoleon launched his attack on Egypt that the Sultans granted a full pardon to Osman and all the Kircali as well."

This time it was Tenten face that darkened.

"When do we start?"

* * *

Shikamaru yawned, arising from the wide yellow couch of his guest room. A group of gnarled looking old men, their fingers bent, leathery skin glazed bronze by the sun and beards bleached white by age paid him little mind as they continued their game of chess, chewing on dried dates and smoking their pipes. Shikamaru slammed the windows shut to keep the smell of the acrid Turkish tobacco out of the room before he promptly returned to his couch. He turned his eyes towards the floor, towards the magnificent Persian rug with it's endless diamond shaped patterns and golden fringe that was currently being trod on over and over and over again by a pair of dusty tan feet.

"You're pacing again," he monotoned. Temari didn't even look up from where she continued to stroll back and forth worriedly.

"Shut up."

"It's not healthy," he continued disinterestedly.

"I said, shut up," Temari returned with equal disinterest. Her fire was still just sharp enough to get under his skin, but it was clear her heart wasn't in it. Feeling like he was going to hate himself for exerting so much effort, Shikamaru forced himself to sit upright while the one of the provincial guards outside the doors cried in disgust as the second threw down a winning hand of cards.

"And I'm telling you to shape up, sit down and get something to eat. You look like you're five seconds from a psychotic break." He said, dry voice taking on a drop of compassion.

"Unlike you to be so proactive about another person," Temari almost scolded. It was a faint and distant reply, almost a mumble. Her mind was clearly in another place, most certainly mulling over the Sultan's word, her own position and so on.

It was intriguing Shikamaru thought to himself, he could breach most minds fairly easily, people were just predictable like that. Temari on the other hand, well for some reason he'd grown accustomed to never knowing just what she was going to do. It was what made her so…interesting.

"I'm full of surprises. Besides, as the prisoner if you snap then I'm the first one to go." Shikamaru said, deciding upon his own retort as he watched her feet pull the rug slightly back towards the door as she spun around once again to pace towards the other end of the room.

"Newsflash Mr. Mercenary, that was the whole idea," Temari said finally stopping and throwing her hands up in the air. She turned, exasperated to look over at Shikamaru who simply gave her his dullest and most incredulous look. Temari sighed and placed her hands on her hips. "Ok fine, so I don't really want your head on a pike. Big deal."

"And I'm so relieved." Shikamaru replied laying back down, satisfied that he'd provoked at least some show of emotion from her.

"Don't make me regret those words." Temari grumbled finally dropping down into a very large and plush European style chair. She frowned as she sank into the cushion, squirming while attempting to discover how to get comfortable in the unfamiliar piece of furniture that only seemed to suck her further in.

"Hey, I understand you're worked up, anyone would be. Are you going to take his offer?" Shikamaru asked, staring up at the ceiling.

"What? Of course not! Why does everyone insist on probing my loyalty to my own state? Even my own damn Sultan...may heaven's blessing be upon him." Temari finished almost sarcastically as she gave up squirming and allowed the chair to pull back in.

"Look I've been to a lot of empires, a lot of kingdoms and let me tell you, you can be…intense." Shikamaru said finally looking back over at Temari. He blinked once at the sight of the very clear unhappy soldier slouched and surrounded by a sea of white cushions. She shot him a dangerous look causing him to continue quickly. "Not that it's a bad thing…but you just seem to have your whole identity wrapped up in it. It's just…things never seem to end well for people like you."

"I come from a family of soldiers." Temari said suddenly sitting up and leaning forward. Her eyes settled on a white and blue tea set in front of her. The tea Shikamaru had poured for himself and then never drank still sending up little wisps of steam into the air. "All my relatives, served in some capacity. Then my dad, a soldier famous during the wars against the Tsar followed some trumped up Mamluk general on a race for independence, in doing so he brought the wrath of the imperial army down on our family and left me to pick up the pieces. Daughter of Rasa, that's what they call me. It's not a compliment, it's not an honorific title, it's a mark of shame for my family. A reminder of what we did and what happened to us. So yeah, I'm "intense". As long as I live I'm going to see to it that no one has to suffer like I did."

"You just told me something about yourself."

"And?"

"We've never told each other anything about ourselves, that's why our relationship works." Shikamaru finished coyly. Temari looked exasperated as she allowed her cushions to absorb her once again.

"Oh shove it. Just forget about it I don't know why I even told you." She shot back with a snide tone. She looked back down at the tea, watching the wisps of steam dance and bend into different shapes. Finally she threw herself out of the chair and picked up her enormous steel cudgel, hefting it several times and swinging it outwards carefully.

It was like sitting still would make her break out in hives Shikamaru thought to himself. The world was always turning around her, always on some mission, always with a purpose. It should have been a pain for someone who's existence could be summed up with the word: drifting…and yet…

"What am I to you?" the sudden question surprised even him. Temari looked over at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What kind of question is that?"

A stupid question, a really stupid one, Shikamaru thought.

"I'm your prisoner, a man stripped from his own world and dropped into yours. That's all I've been to you. Now, well now I don't really know what we are."

It was odd…

"Geez, you sound like a woman."

So very odd, and so very troublesome…

"Look, we haven't know each other for very long, and I know next to nothing about you; but what I do know is that…I like spending time with you…so I'm not leaving you to fight this war by yourself."

"Are you sure?" Temari kicked herself mentally. Are you sure? Here he was, the laziest, most frustrating, infuriating man she'd ever known, performing the equivalent of pouring out his heart in front of her, practically pledging himself to her and that's all she could ask? She nearly dropped her weapon onto the ground right then and there. He'd caught her completely off guard. She felt like squirming, doing, something, everything, anything in her power to avoid eye contact. Oh damn it all, when had conversing with this slacker clown become this flustering?

"Absolutely." Shikamaru said sitting up and smiling, looking nervous for the first time since he'd met her. Their eyes met and the gaze held as they both felt blood rushing to their cheeks. Shikamaru suddenly decided to change the subject. "I mean it's not like I'm tied down anywhere else. Knowing Neji and Kiba they're probably partying it up in some palace in Persia by now."

"…I'm very grateful." She said finally, returning his smile, hoping and praying she looked gracious, and that her smile, a toothy, cheeky grin of her own had changed since the last time Kankuro had made fun of it. She couldn't help it though. She felt…happy.

"Sir!" a voice interrupted the two. The provincial guard had busted in without knocking, his eyes wide. He glanced from Temari and then towards Shikamaru. "I mean…uh, Mr…Shikamaru? Sir? That servant boy you told me to pay for information has news about the factions at court!"

"…You squirrelly little runt." The smile didn't disappear, but rather the look of irate, mind bending frustration returned to Temari's face. He'd actually paid off HER guards to get him information. "You knew exactly how this would play out."

"And I also know that you've got a plan. Let's hear it." Shikamaru said hopefully, looking up with his drowsy but pleased doe like eyes. Temari gave him a sideways look before her exasperated smile returned.

"You're impossible. Ok, all of you listen up!"

* * *

"He came this way, he must have," a familiar looking palace guard, sweat drenched forehead as red as his conical hat insisted trying to barge his way into the mans residence. Two imposing European looking guards, dressed in republican white and blue military gear, black boots and sporting stout shako's that cast shadows over their eyes quickly clashed their rifles across his path, the sound of their steel bayonets ringing throughout the house.

"And I'm telling you, you odious baboon that I have absolutely no idea what you're on about," Neji's new guardian replied sitting in the mans full view in one of his cream colored couch chairs, built atop a sturdy and finely polished mahogany frame, one leg crossed across his lap.

"If we find out your are behind this in anyway Yilan…" the guard fumed as two other palace guard placed hands on his shoulders and tried to convince him to back up. The man was unfazed and simply gave an arrogant snarl to the intruder.

"You'll do what? Shoot me? Behead me execution style? Tie my body up in the milion square as a warning to all the other foreign dignitaries as a symbol of your precious empires might? Oh I'm sure you're beloved Sultan would love to hear the explanation for that." He evidently enjoyed the fuming of the guard, fuly displaying his disdain and disregard for the man on his threshold. He grabbed a fine wine glass on the table beside him and hoisted it in the air. "Now, get off my doorstep."

The European guards stepped back and with military precision slammed the door in the guards face. They turned away and marched towards their boss' side without another word of expression.

"Well, well, mind telling me just what I have gotten myself into?" the man said looking over his shoulder as Neji emerged from his hiding place, a exquisite looking wardrobe carved in France and shoved up against the far wall. The Hyuga glanced carefully out at the window beside the wardrobe, trying to calculate some kind of escape plan just in case.

"I'm just a wanderer here to find a friend and nothing more. Come tomorrow I doubt you'll hear from me again, and should anyone ask you if I made any material difference here you can tell them that I came and went like the Bosphorus breeze." He said simply, milky white eyes taking in the details of the room. Two spacious western style couches, some chairs, an enormous writing desk and all the frivolities and luxuries that evidently accompanied the well to do guests of the Sultan.

"Well I'll admit it, I'm intrigued by your presence." The man said twirling his wine glass after taking a sip. He rose from his seat not looking back as his guards quickly turned his chair around. He returned to his sitting posture, eyes now looking Neji over curiously. "As the head of the French foreign embassy to the Ottoman Empire I must extend to you an invitation to stay awhile."

He snapped his fingers and the guard quickly hoisted their rifles.

"I should've known this was too easy." Neji said stoically, he clasped his arms behind his back and he prepared to inch towards the window.

"Of course my dear boy, nothing is truly free in this world," the mustachioed Frenchman smiled. "You made me curious and not just a little suspicious…who do you work for?"

It hit him suddenly, like a light flickering on inside his head.

"I'm not a member of the court, I never was." Neji insisted. The man did move, his hands were folded below his pale chin, wistful smile on his face as the stern unyielding guards continued to level their rifles directly at him.

"You heard what he called me didn't you? The guard?" the diplomat asked, his head nodding back towards the door.

"Yilan?"

"It's Turkish for snake. The palace guards are all allied with either the Janissaries or the Royalist factions. They'd like nothing better than to see my head, the head of the boastful Frenchman, symbol of Napoleon on a pike. Now, I step outside just in time to find you running for dear life from those thugs, and on this of all evenings…how curious."

Outside the trooping of the palace guards continued, military boots clamored over the stone streets, officers barked orders and soldiers yelled obscenities at anyone in their way as they blazed through the courtyards, the sounds of their steel pikes dragging against the stones echoing across the grounds. Neji glanced ever so slightly towards the source of the sounds outside the windows, and as he did the diplomats grin deepened ever so slightly.


	14. The Day Before

**So, first of all I broke the cardinal rule of good writing. Show don't tell. This was drilled into me from a very young age, and yet I did it. I chose to do it consciously, because you don't want five more additional chapters of court politics. Believe me, you do not want to read that.**

 **Also, I had a lot of the first two chapters written in advance, since the beginning of this year actually and a lot has happened since then in my life and in the world of academia. If by some wild chance you follow Byzantine intellectual circles then you've no doubt heard of the death of John Julius Norwhich. He was an amateur historian, but it was his works that reignited my love for history in the first place. He could turn a phrase likeSo I devote this chapter to him.**

As Philip of Macedon found out attempting to scale the ancient city walls only to be caught in the full moonlight; as the rioting charioteers discovered when they found themselves locked in the circus stadium, the Hippodrome with the blades of the army suddenly closing in; as conquering Emperor Nicephorus Phocas found as he was beaten to a bloody stain on his chamber floors by one of his trusted generals, Byzantium was a land of subterfuge and spy craft as much as it was one of power and wealth.

Neji Hyuga, staring down the barrels of two French rifles also discovered that no matter its master and no matter how the sands of time kicked about the politics of man, some things about Constantinople herself never changed.

He felt as if he and the diplomat before him had simply been dancing around every issue the other raised, showering each other with cryptic hints and vague nondescript promises about whom they could trust and why one should allow the other to live. Laying an elbow on his armrest and laying his head atop it, the diplomat sighed, still looking as carefree as one of the cities morning doves.

"Well, color me genuinely puzzled. Your story is fantastic, far too fantastic to be a sensible lie and yet not quite genuine enough to be the truth." He said waving a hand through the air while he scrutinized and indexed Neji's stoic features for what felt like the tenth time, trying to breach the mans nigh impenetrable emotional barrier. Finally he sat up and leaned forward, not within striking range but close enough that heavy whiffs of French cologne reached Neji's nostrils. "Tell, me…what do you know of Napoleon?"

"Hearsay," Neji responded with an uptight tone, intent on brevity This man was controlling the conversation, trying to pin him down, but with the entire palace on high alert and rifles pointed at his face playing mind games with the Frenchmen seemed to be a preferable alternative to leaping out a tiny glass window while amidst a hail of gunfire.

"Ah if you knew what I knew. That stolid demeanor, and broad figure sitting atop a majestic silver steed, a fine face painted with Mediterranean features…"

"Is there a point to all of this?" Neji snapped, his façade of calm momentarily dropping. A wry smile finally appeared on the diplomats face, his own façade dropping as a devious looking spread across countenance.

"My point is that you are what I've been looking for. You see Napoleon has plans for this land, but then…so do so many other men and dreamers. Yes, change is coming and soon. But in these circles of power we've all become quite acquainted with each other. That's where you, the man who insists he has no connection to the factions here at court, even with a gun pointed at his face, can help me."

"I'm a mercenary, but I still have my dignity. I make it a point not to get involved in politics." Neji returned attempting to keep his smarm to a minimum. He folded his arms as he locked eyes with his hostage taker.

"My dear boy," the man said with a sigh, despite the satisfied smile never leaving his face. Her uncrossed his hands, opened them and shrugged while maintaining a look of mock sympathy. "I'm afraid you already have. Oh and I assure you, you will receive compensation beyond the nominal…well beyond being able to keep your head. Unless I am mistaken, my sources around the palace tell me that there were…two uninvited guests. I think I might be of some use to you. "

Neji's eyes narrowed. He took a step forward, gaze never departing the diplomat. The guards stiffened, their fingers on the triggers, but as a testament to their training and force of will, neither one did anything more without order, and they simply continued to stare from beneath their shakos. Well this was it…there really was no way out of this.

"Just what are you planning…sir?" Neji asked, adding a European honorific he'd heard somewhere back in India. The man finally rose, looking incredibly pleased with himself and placed one leg in front of the other before bowing low.

"Please, call me by my full name. I am Horace François Bastien Sébastiani de La Porta; and I am here to save the Sultan."

* * *

"You can divide the entire palace up into two groups, those that want the Sultan in power and those that don't. Yet these are not cohesive and coordinated groups. Those that really want to keep the Sultan in power are certain sections of the military, the loyalists, the Sultan's reformers and those politicians who supported an alliance with the French, and they are in precious supply right now. Mercantilists and the lower level bureaucrats would like to see him stay on the throne but they're as fickle as the Egyptian sun,"

"Can we slow down just a tad," one of the provincial guards asked raising his gloved hand like a school child, looking completely and utterly confused by Temari's explanation. A scowl appeared on the girls face as she began to massage her temples. She'd gone through the effort of diagraming the entire situation on an enormous sheet of paper laid across the table in front of the group, but evidently even this was too much for her provincial guards.

"So then those who want him off the throne are the nationalists, traditionalists, provincial commanders and reformers that want English or Russian backing." Shikamaru interjected quickly. The three others in the room gave him curious looks. The man just shrugged his shoulders and paid them no mind before pointing to the circle Temari had drawn which he assumed read as loyalists in Turkish. "The obvious plan is divide and conquer like the state of Ancient Qin did in the warring states period."

"Or the medieval Turkish clans, right," Temari agreed with a nod. "Even the most powerful group can fall if all the others gang up on it. Here's the problem, even in these categories there are subgroups who are butting heads. Remember all those janissary commanders who approached us? Each of them probably led their own little faction themselves."

"So what you're saying is," one of the guards began nervously, wiping some sweat from his brow. "That we're going to have to get each and every one of these groups on our side?"

"No," Shikamaru spoke up, "We don't have the manpower and from what that servant boy told you we don't have the time. Napoleon is barely out of Egypt and there are sections of this court already baying for the Sultans blood. They're going to pull something and if we spend all our time reacting the Sultan might be dead before the end of the week."

"W-w-ell the bodyguards won't let that happen will they?" the other guard asked, sweating even more than his friend, aware that he was into machinations that were normally far over his head.

"It's not going to matter much if all of a sudden an entire Janissary corps shows up outside the palace gates." Temari mused looking at her chart. "What we need now is a show of force. Something that let's everyone know we mean business. Something that forces them to react to us, something that will rally all the disparate groups. Instead of going to them for help they'll come to us."

"Great, so where are we going to find a group that large that can compete with all these Janissaries and provincial commanders. The only military commanders with that kind of clout were probably backing the French, I can't imagine they were allowed to stay very long after Napoleon landed in Alexandria." Shikamaru huffed as he began stroking his chin his thought.

From Temari's silence he could tell his hypothesis had been right. As soon as one side coalesced the other was liable to do the same, and even if the numbers were almost equal it would hardly deter their enemies from acting. The first person to act needed to be someone prestigious, someone powerful. That figure was doubtless Temari, but what faction to attach her to?

"Why aren't you attached to your families janissary regiment?" he asked suddenly. The sound of footsteps running outside in the hall filled the otherwise silent room. As it faded one of the guards began tapping his feet anxiously. Across the table Shikamaru could see the gears turning in Temari's head as she chewed on the end of her writing pen, she was a strategist much like him and her mind seemed to be going down the exact same path.

"Well that's because…because…It's because my family aren't Janissaries." Temari said snapping her fingers. Her green eyes were sparkling in excitement. "We're Sipahi."

"Gesundheit."

"…What? Was that German?" She shook her head rapidly and focused back on the matter at hand. Drawing a new circle she grabbed the parchment and jumped to her feet before heading for the door. "Sipahi are the elite calvary corps, Janissaries were the infantry. The Sipahi corps barracks lies just outside of Constantinople, north of the suburb of Galata, beyond the golden horn."

"Well what's to say they're all loyal like you?" Shikamaru asked quickly in what he guessed was a vain attempt to double check the plan for any flaws. As if to confirm his fears Temari grabbed him by one hand and her weapon with the other.

"Guess we'll just have to find out won't we?"

* * *

"And this is the basement, my secret little catacomb hideaway. You know you're the first girl we've let down here to plan an assassination?" Deidara continued chatting as he and Tenten descended the last few steps into the depths of the palace underground. Maze like tunnels running every which way, housing everything from hellenic stone statutes of the forgotten past to the private reserves of the palace Chamberlin. It was on the far end of one of these tunnels, removed from the path of even the most trusted of the Sultans secret police that Deidara had dragged his new "friend."

"Wow, it's us…" Tenten ran a finger along a wooden chest with an ancient looking two headed silver eagle emblazoned on top. She rubbed it against her thumb was watched the copious amounts of gray dust cascade down to the equally unkempt floor. She put on a smile as she turned back to Deifara to finish her sentence. "Roomy."

"Deidara," a throaty voice growled in a low tone, the same kind a wild animal might make before it attacks. Tenten turned her head to look down towards the other end of the room, past a selection of ancient looking Greek wine bottles and in between another set of brown leather chests, their locks old and rusting, sat a figure cloaked from head to toe in brown garments. The only part of him not concealed was his eyes, and the two beady, almost glass like orbs stared out at her from across the room. "What are you doing bringing uninvited guests?"

A third figure, dressed like a simple palace bureaucrat flipped a throwing knife in his hand, not sparing a look up at the pair as they entered.

"Tenten, meet Kakuzu, local hoarder, money grubber extraordinaire, and finance minister or something like that." Deidara said with his trademark arrogant smile as he motioned to the cloak figure before brushing off a chest of his own and sitting down, kicking up a small cloud of dust as he did. Tenten tried not to pay any attention to the filthy state of the poorly candlelit room and leaned up against an empty shelf, long since abandoned as left to rot. She inched further into the shadows, letting them conceal her left side. Silently she slipped a hidden hand into a pouch to grab a throwing knife, just in case. The room was surprisingly cool, but the air was thick, and every nerve in her body told her that these were dangerous people.

"And I'm the only reason both your arms are still in working condition." Kakuzu pointed a dark finger at Deidara in a threatening manner.

"I lost my arms one time! You can't hold that over me forever." The man snarled back. He motioned towards Tenten, a nasty pale and scarred hand, covered in burn marks emerging from his sleeve. "Look, she's fine. I'll vouch for her."

"If she screws anything up, it's all on your head." Kakuzu finished with a huff, sitting back up against the wall.

"You'd like that wouldn't you? As it turns out, she's going to be my second for the operation. Hmm." Deidara finished, quite pleased with what he apparently hoped had been a dramatic revelation. He crossed his arms and sat back against the wall in the same manner as Kakuzu had, as if to mock the older man.

"Seriously?" Kakuzu asked, looking at Deidara, towards Tenten and then back at his comrade once again. Somehow, as concealed as he was, his eyes betrayed something resembling amusement. "You're sure she's not just another girl you picked up on one of your whims?"

"She knows almost as much about explosives as I do, so yes, seriously. Just make sure you're ready on your end." Deidara snapped quickly. His hand clenched into a fist just before it disappeared back into his sleeve. Kakuzu scoffed and turned towards the group at large before, speaking with his almost unnaturally gravely voice.

"Tomorrow, at the break of dawn the janissaries will begin their morning drills in the courtyard. All the right men have been warned to stay away," He locked eyes with Tenten and pointed a finger at her. "That's when you'll set off the first bomb."

Tenten raised an eyebrow as Deidara sat forward in his seat eyes aglow with excitement. His hands appeared from his sleeves again as he produced a small vile of a black sludge.

"A new concoction of mine, created in a spurt of artistic brilliance. I based it off of the Greek fire that the medieval dwellers once used to defend this city. When compressed and ignited the resulting explosion will be heard around the city, even if the initial blast doesn't kill them all the resulting flames are sure to incinerate every living thing it touches. Brilliant isn't it?"

Deidara held the vial in front of his face to admire his work whilst Kakuzu continued. Beside her the plain clothes man said nothing and flipped the knife in his hand once more.

"Once the loyalists are in in disarray you'll proceed to set off explosives two, three and four to keep them confused. Don't stick around after you set off one, just move onto the next. While that happens I'll rally the provincials to engage the palace bodyguard and then our assassin will slip into the Sultan quarters, and that will be that."

Tenten almost shuffled her feet nervously, briefly asking herself how she'd gotten mixed up in all of this. One mistake, one wrong move and she was dead. She needed something to reply with, something to keep their suspicions off of her, something witty, something clever.

"So, I'm not going to be the one to kill the Sultan?" So much for clever. Deidara sounding like he was snickering as he held up his sleeves to his face and disguised it as a serious coughing fit brought on by the dust.

"No, that honor belongs to the blind Alawite here." Kakuzu said, his voice betraying nothing but annoyance at the situation as he motioned to the man beside him.

"Merely doing what needs to be done. This has been a long time in the making." The man in plain clothes said. For the first time Tenten looked at him closely. The orange flames briefly flickered across his face revealing two milky white, empty orbs. "Constantinople shall fall once again. Gentlemen, I thank you for your assistance. I'm glad you agreed to take the contract."

"Well it is our legacy, we couldn't rightly refuse." Deidara said with what sounded like satisfaction as he moved the vial back inside his cloak. Kakuzu shot him a quick look that the other man seemed to ignore. Tenten perked up her head at the words. The dust was thicker now, floating through the air, clearly visible even in candle light.

"Legacy?" she asked curiously as a flames briefly illuminated the silver eagles near the entrance of the room.

"It's just that..." Deidara paused, wondering how to frame his next statement. "This kind of thing has sort of happened before."

"Deidara," Kakuzu growled again, that dangerous edge back in his voice.

"What do you mean? The last time anyone stormed Constantinople was four centuries years ago." Tenten asked, her morbid curiosity getting the better of her.

"We've been around a very long time." Deidara smiled, his voice swelling as he began to revel in the melodrama. His face grew darker, more crazed looking, an illusion that was only furthered by the blazing tips of the candles near his face. "You could hear it couldn't you? Oh I'm sure someone of your talent could. The Ottomans built their empire from here to be sure, but only upon the shell that is Byzantium."

He looked back and forth across his audience, attempting to lock eyes with each and every one of them as he rose to his feet, arms emerging from their sleeves. His voice lowered to almost a whisper as the flames continued to burn and dance across the walls.

"You remember seeing that mosque that radiates like the sun outside the gates? Once upon a time it was a church, built by Her engineers. It was Her craftsmen that erected the Dome of the Rock, it was Her diplomats that met with the Chinese Son of Heaven, and Her holy men created the bedazzling golden shadows that you can still see today. Have you been to the palace armory, seen the catacombs in this palace, seen a golden mosaic peeking out of a hidden corner, stood before those ancient walls? That's Byzantium, it still whispers to you to this very day. Yet, it only whispers because of us, because of the Akatsuki, because of what we did to her."

"Deidara." Kakuzu spoke up once again, his hands twitching dangerously. The air felt suffocating now, Tenten felt the need to back up even further. She felt like running, bolting as far away from all of this, from the crazed man pouring out tales of conspiracy so ancient.

"For two months the Ottomans struggled to siege a Constantinople that by 1453 was a shell of its former self. An impossible task, until one of our agents inside the city drummed up a plan and signaled it into action by placing thirteen lanterns in the Tower of Galata, where they still burn today."

"Deidara! Keep talking and I'll kill you." Kakuzu said, finally standing and gripping his comrade by the shoulder. Deidara shook him off, looking annoyed.

"Oh come on Kakazu, you know this stuff is all half legend anyways." He coughed, the wry smile back on his face. He shrugged.

"And soon the other half will be legend if you can't keep your libido in check. Stop showing off in front of the girl and focus on the matter at hand or I'll suffocate you in your sleep and drop your body into the Bosphorus." Kakazu huffed as he sat back down. "Now get a move on, all of you. We've got a very busy day tomorrow."

 **A.N: I apologize if the ending seemed out of place, but it does have a purpose, I promise. It'll all tie in together...hopefully.**


	15. Only In Dreams

**I got a chapter up during a school semester. I might even have done a little dance to celebrate if I wasn't so busy.**

The shadows were melding with the darkness as the sun finally slipped beyond the watery horizon of Constantinople. As the last rays disappeared, putting an end to the glittering reflections from the sea Constantinople came alive. Flames, brass lanterns, and cast iron copper London style lamps illuminated the streets and walkways as the other denizens of Constantinople gradually emptied onto the streets.

While the officialdom slept a traveller slid his docking agent a single secret slip of paper as his ship left the harbor under the cover of night. From an alleyway in the merchant quarter two of the sultans secret police watched the head of the butchers guild do a double take as he attempted to leave his house. In a brothel somewhere in the deepest dirtiest reaches of the old city an English diplomat listened to his friend from the palace spill his heart, and his secrets out as he poured him another strong drink made from Grecian grapes.

In the foreign quarter, the region of Galata, a multitude of faces wandered the streets, the area abuzz as secrets were shared in hushed whispers, covered up by the barreling laughs of the nightlife. Buddhist kalmyks from the steppe, in their loose gold and white riding silks stared warily at passers by from atop their horses while a group of Jewish brokers huddled together to keep their discussions quiet. Two Nogai Russians, armored in Asiatic mail and furs that looked as if they had stepped out of the army of Genghis Khan supported each other as they stumbled out of a tavern, bellowing a traditional folk song.

Even further north, far from the prying eyes of the traders, the sultans bean counters and even the nigh omniscient ears of the English spies lay the garrison of the Sipahi. Yet, even here, Shikamaru observed wryly the faces appeared no more inviting.

Temari had stopped fifty paces from the gate, held up a hand indicating for the others to stop and had removed herself from her horse. She bowed low, letting her blonde hair sweep the dusty unpaved trail to the garrison.

"Sipahi have their own codes of honor," she said silently, just loud enough to be heard over the cicadas humming and singing in the bushes nearby. A single horse rode out in the darkness from the dimly lit garrison, its pace slowly and methodical. "Stay quiet and follow my lead."

* * *

The palace was quiet, eerily so. It was almost as if the entire grounds had become deserted. It was disquieting, the idea the grand palaces could once again become like the relics they were built on was something no one liked to contemplate. Yet, every glare between guard and provincial, ever snarl between city bureaucrat and palace aide, snide comments and whisper between military commanders betrayed the frightening truth that this idea was just one explosion away from reality.

The French diplomats residence, moved into the palace as soon as Napoleon had attacked the Empire was as quiet as the black cats that prowled the ancient grounds.

Inside the residence, on the lower floors two warriors sat opposite each other. A French soldier, sans his embroidered, regulation jacket and shako ran a hand through his tuft of messy black hair. From his seat on the floor he leveled his two tried black eyes across the room, his gaze firmly locked on the Samurai sitting Indian style against the far cabinet.

Both could make out the familiar anxious stances in the other, the stances which betrayed the tense muscles and beating hearts that kept them awake so many nights. They could see the bags underneath their counterparts eyes, dark lonely pools, the empty orbs of men obligated by profession to take the lives of others without regret or sympathy.

Their choice of arms, katana and matchlock pistol lay beside their hips, untouched. An unspoken mutual respect formed between the two tired soldiers, the kind only made by individuals who know battle. Slowly, ever so slowly, their eyes shut, protected by an unspoken pact, and as they slept they slipped into dream.

* * *

Any stranger walking the streets of Kyushu would've known the Hyuga's were nobles. They paraded down the open roads, past the bowing merchants and curious farmers with their heads held high and countenances stern. The black robed head clansmen walked in front, while the similarly dressed branch members, draped in white trailed behind them.

Neji's right foot effortlessly found its way in front of his left, before the left dragged itself in front of the right, then right, then left, then right, then left, again, and again, and again. It felt like wading through mud on a summer morning, when one was too dazed, too tired and too beaten by the heat to even think. The only thing going through his mind at the moment was the enclosed sedan chair being carried in front of him by four branch members.

The chair itself was…hazy, covered by a red roof…with sliding doors decorated with natural still like ink paintings? If that's what they were, it was so hard to see with this intense fog…or white mist that…

He was dreaming. Things instantly became a little clearer as soon as the realization hit him. Oh yeah…this dream. The one he'd had so many times before. He'd stumbled down this familiar Japanese path so many times, waiting behind the main branch, maintaining his station knowing full well how it all ended.

There was no point struggling, no point in trying to venture off into some corner of the dreamscape, no use trying to get his legs from mechanically walking in step with the noble procession. He knew, he'd tried many times over the years to keep the dream from playing out the same way, only to watch it fly to its destruction over, and over and over again. Going through the motions was just the way of things.

"Stop!" A voice, sounding muffled but still audible reached his ears. It was a girl's voice, shaken and troubled, coming from inside the sedan chair. Hinata Hyuga burst from the sliding doors, white ceremonial robes dragging through the dirty urban pathway as ran to the side of the road, the small crowd parting in her wake and murmuring quietly to one another. She quickly bent down and took the hand of a familiar looking man with cropped black hair laying in the dirt.

The man was curled up into a ball, his face bloodied and his foreign outfit looking tattered and dirty. The only object of worth on his entire person seeming to be a small golden ornament shaped like a cross. He clutched it tightly against his chest lifting a confused and swollen head to meet the concerned gaze of the Hyuga heiress.

That's right, this was the day he'd met Kiba Inuzuka.

"What happened to you?" Hinata almost sobbed as she rested a dainty hand against his cheek.

The clan members had quickly surrounded her, pushing the commoners away and looking towards Neji expectantly. Up ahead the sedan chairs and the head family members had halted, not sparing the branch member a second glance as they fulfilled their duties. Neji did likewise, swiftly approaching his cousin without a second thought. He was a retainer, this was his job.

"Miss Hinata," Kiba's voice coughed, his voice was haggard, but despite his injuries the first thing Neji had picked out, besides the fact that he'd chosen the wrong honorific to address her with was the mans thick accent.

Hinata looked like she was going to cry at the sight. At the time Neji had no idea who the man was, nor had he cared. Hinata had a bad habit of slipping outside the Hyuga compound, usually with the aid of the blonde haired village idiot, and while he didn't particularly care who she ran with he knew Hiashi did, and Sir Hiashi would never have approved of his eldest weeping over a bloodied street rat, and a foreigner no less.

Now? He wanted to comfort her, after seeing this so many times, maybe it had worn on him. He wanted to tell her it was going to be ok, that he was still alive, that he could still protect the family. But his mind was not his own, and his mouth was as dry as cotton. He could only repeat what he'd said at the time…

"Lady Hinata, you disgrace the family." His words didn't seem to have any affect on her as she clutched Kiba's hand. "My Lady we mustn't be seen with a man like this."

"Kiba, what happened?" Hinata repeated her tone still anguished. "Why aren't you down by the docks?"

"Lady Hinata we must leave," Neji repeated. He placed a firm hand on her shoulder and grasped it tightly, only to feel it suddenly batted away as she rose to her feet.

"No!" It was a desperate tone, more of a plea than a command. Her eyes wouldn't meet his and instead darted around the crowd. Yet, it had been the force and volume of her voice that had taken him off guard. "No, he needs help! I'm bringing him back to the compound!"

Neji remembered the familiar angry flame burning inside of him. The families pampered princess, not even true heiress anymore, having been passed over for a sister five years her junior. She had no commitments, no responsibilities, save one…and apparently she couldn't even handle that. He'd been two seconds away from snapping when Kiba broke in.

"You're Neii right?" he asked, his speech still slurred. Hinata quickly directed a few stunned looking branch members to help the man gently to his feet. Kiba coughed weakly as he rose, his eyes still on Neji. His lips curled into what probably would've been a smile had his face not been so incredibly swollen. "Naruto and Hinata speak about you often."

Neji turned his attention to the stranger, his eyes still furious.

"Listen Hinata did get me a job with the docks, but this morning when I showed up to work there was already a gang assembled outside. We were told that we'd been replaced. Dock workers, clerks and all. Some of us didn't take that to well, and I'm sure you can guess the rest." The words triggered something inside of him, Neji felt a cold shiver run down his spine as he processed the information. Kiba continued looking at him gravely as he was helped to his feet. "I don't know about your politics...but I do know what trouble looks like."

With that the branch members lifted Kiba towards the Sedan Chair and set him gingerly inside, leaving Neji alone to ruminate as the other branch members backed out of the crowd or looked to him for orders. A huge white blur rounding the corner of an alleyway snapped him out of his reflections. He ducked just in time as the blur flew over his head and made a beeline for the sedan chair.

"Akamaru! I knew you'd find me boy! Come here! Let me have a look at you! They didn't hurt you did they?" Kiba almost yelled despite his injuries. The large white canine jumped up into the chair to greet his master. The bearers almost buckled at the new unexpected weight as Akamaru danced around happily, jumping up onto Kiba and nuzzling up to him.

And for a moment Hinata laughed at the joyful reunion, for a moment she looked happy. Neji almost felt like he could almost rest easy again. Yet, it was an ill omen all the same. Perhaps it was why he continued to dream about the moment even now. It was his first sign that something was seriously wrong.

The landscape shifted, as seamlessly as if it was just walking across the threshold from one room to another.

He was back in the Hyuga compound, at the far end of the gathering room amidst the white sliding doors and dark wooden floors. The heads of the Hyuga clan talked and debated with one another near the entrance while he carried on a quiet conversation by the side exit.

"It all seems like it was Danzo's doing." Shikamaru's voice drifted into the compound lazily as he leaned up against a wall on the outside.

It seemed obvious in hindsight, Neji thought to himself. Sure there were always a few power hungry clans, but no one thought any one group would have the audacity to try physically muscle those who didn't agree with them out of the political sphere altogether.

"The Shimura clan? I don't understand, how did we not hear about this earlier?"

"When civility between the clans breaks down so does everything else." Perhaps it was because he'd spent years with the man, but now more than ever Neji could practically feel the shrug of apathy from the other side of the door.

"You know what I mean. Their thugs barged into our city, and not one official, not one bookkeeper, not one servant bring the most powerful clan in the area news of this?" Neji's face curled into a frown. He'd gone over it so many times since that day, it should've been impossible to pull of, but the Shimura's themselves were well known for sponsoring shinobi to do their dirty work. There must've been more going on behind the scenes that he'd discovered.

"If the Shimura's goal is to the local daimyo, they'll have paid off the right people and made the right alliances to keep this as quiet as possible." Shikamaru thumbed the hilt of his sword as he watched a brown falcon from the Hyuga aviary dart and circle in the skies above.

"And they're not worried about any response from Kyoto or Edo?" Of course they weren't, why would the Emperor or the Shogun concern themselves with clan politics in the south? As long as the taxes were coming in why should they care if a few local lords had their manors burned and families slaughtered?

"How does the old Chinese saying go? Heaven is high and the emperor is far away?"

"Then I guess the only logical response is to expose the plot publically in front of the daimyo himself. We must move quickly." The door slid open a crack and a small envelope appeared through it. Neji took it without a second glance and took a rare deep breath as he stepped towards his uncle.

Hiashi and the elders grew silent as he approached, their white eyes watching his every movement. It was an intimidating sight a few years ago. Now, all he could feel was the eyes of his clansmen judging him, accusing him. These were the men who he'd failed, this was the family he'd let burn. Yet he could do nothing, but humbly bow and hand over the envelope.

"It's as you said. This has all the markings of a political coup."

"I suppose it was only a matter of time before someone sought to fill the vacuum left by the destruction of the Uchiha's. Even in death that infernal clan brings us nothing but trouble. We must see the daimyo as soon as possible." Hiashi sighed as he looked the documents over.

A trip he would never come back from. Hiashi Hyuga's last, calculated error as head of the Hyuga clan.

It wouldn't matter.

"Hey you!" a rough, feminine voice split the ordered silence of the Hyuga compound, insolent and cheeky, yet comforting and familiar all at once. Neji blinked once as Tenten appeared by side, dressed in a flowing black and white Hyuga ceremonial gown. The hazel haired weapons user reached up to playfully wrest an arm on his shoulder as Neji's mouth hung open. Hiashi remained silent at the sudden intrusion, but a small smile formed on his lips.

"I'll leave you to it then." He said formally, bowing his head ever so slightly in the direction of his juniors. Tenten returned the gesture with a respectful bow and tiny grin on her face. Neji's head spun to look back at his uncle.

It was only then he realized he could move, he could think…Was he really dreaming? This didn't feel…

"I'll catch up with you later Sir Hiashi," new words spilled out of his mouth almost automatically. This wasn't how it had happened? Was this…supposed to happen?

"Please, take your time," came the unperturbed reply as the clan members turned and followed the head towards the door, their lips also curled upwards into knowing smiles as some of them stole glances back at the pair. Tenten returned their looks and waved playfully as they left. Neji watched them go, now only vaguely aware of the future that awaited them. To see something so familiar become so alien in a matter of seconds was jarring for him, like it didn't feel real.

"Hey," a hand touched his cheek as the familiar sound broke the still air once again. Neji quickly turned at her touch and took the hand. She certainly didn't feel real. He gazed into her deep doe like eyes as she gave him a strange look. She raised an eyebrow and smiled at his expression. "You…doing ok?"

Neji said nothing as he took her other hand and squeezed them as if trying to grasp some level of reality. Her hands felt rough and worn from years of weapons practices, she felt warm, she felt alive. Had she been speaking Japanese as well?...These and a hundred other thoughts bounced around inside his mind. Yet, the more Neji lost himself in her features the less any of the questions made sense, and strangely the world began to feel less and less like a dream.

"Hey!" Tenten said finally, looking a bit concerned at his vacant expression before repeating as she squeezed his hands once again. "Are you ok?"

Neji blinked twice, at her touch. He felt like he'd been holding his breath for a hour now, he let out a sigh of exhaustion and relief, as he felt his anxiety begin to melt away. The Hyuga compound faded around them, gradually being replaced with shades of deep blue, purple and shimmering gold, the colors of a sunset above that golden city reflecting dusk onto those calm Boshporus waters.

"Yeah…Yeah. I just…I think I found my reason," he whispered as the two closed the short distance between the pair. Tenten's face, for reasons he still didn't understand split into a wide grin.

As he leaned his face in close enough to feel the warm breath from her inviting lips Neji decided that Tenten had already deciphered his answer. Tenten closed her eyes and Neji did likewise, and slowly, with as much grace as he could muster…

* * *

The captain's quarters were bare, almost austere. Grey walls, an earthen floor and a single knee high desk that the captain sat behind gave the room an air of severe military discipline. The captain himself, sitting stock still as if in a painting, his long black mustache and pointed beard staying perfectly still fit the atmosphere perfectly. His dark eyes swept back and forth between Temari and the bored looking Shikamaru. Silence reigned in the room, save for the sound of an antsy guard shuffling his boots against the dusty stones beyond the door.

"That is quite the proposition," the captain said, he paused for a half second to look the two over yet again. "But why should I help you?"

"Sipahi don't rebel. Or have you forgotten that this is the way it's always been." Temari returned, attempting to sound as philosophical and important as possible, her decidedly uncouth native accent echoing faintly in the stone chamber.

"True enough, but there are those who wouldn't be opposed to see the Sultan go. He wants to overhaul the army, if we cow the Janissaries now it won't be long before we're also forced to disband." The captain stiffened slightly, a single hand emerged from beneath the desk to stroke his long elegant looking mustache. Temari balled her fists at this and leaned forward slowly, her blue eyes meeting his with an intensity that even made Shikamaru nervous.

"Then think of the now. Think of the Russians north of the Balkans, think of the Persians beyond the ancient rivers and think of Napoleon, the man who fancies himself the superior to Alexander the Great and who walks inside our borders at this very moment."

"Well then, what exactly did you have in mind?"

 **Thanks for Reading!**


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